Warriors: The Rising Darkness: The Forgotten Clan
by A Warrior at Heart
Summary: Many moons have passed since the reign of Firestar and the warrior clans have become harsher. If a cat breaks the code it is punishable by death or exile. Many cats left and created a new clan in the mountains, MountainClan. Many seasons have passed and the memory of MountainClan is all but forgotten. The four clans are facing a new threat and MountainClan may be their only hope.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**MountainClan**

 **Leader:** Snowstar - sleek furred white she-cat with pale gray patches and yellow eyes

 **Deputy:** Maplebreeze - golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a fluffy tail

 **Medicine Cat:** Blossomshade - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Birdpaw

 **Warriors:** Silverflight - silver and white tabby she-cat with long legs and blue eyes

Dewstorm - broad-shouldered mottled dark brown and stormy gray tabby tom with green eyes

Thrushfang - sandy brown tabby tom with brown stripes and yellow eyes

Nightflame - long-haired sleek black tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Sorrelpaw

Nettlewhisker - ginger and white tabby tom with white feet and amber eyes

Apprentice, Lakepaw

Morningfrost - golden she-cat with gray patches and yellow eyes

Raindapple - mottled pale gray she-cat with black dapples and blue eyes

Gorsestep - pale brown tom with darker streaks and amber eyes

Apprentice, Creekpaw

Stoneshade - stone gray tom with a white chest and paws and blue eyes

Apprentice, Emberpaw

Brackenstep - sleek ginger and brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and ginger paws

Dawnwing - pale golden tabby and white she-cat with amber eyes

Sagefrost - very pale ginger tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Pinefall - white tom with thin black stripes and yellow eyes

Breezeclaw - large white tom with black patches and blue eyes

Apprentice, Frostpaw

Shimmermist - slim black she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice, Hawkpaw

Fernbreeze - pale brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Sparrowshade - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Ravenheart - small black tom with white legs and muzzle and green eyes

 **Apprentices:** Frostpaw - longhaired white she-cat with yellow eyes

Hawkpaw - dark brown tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes

Creekpaw - silver and pale gray tabby tom with a plumy tail and amber eyes

Birdpaw - slim pale brown, darker brown, and white mottled she-cat with amber eyes

Sorrelpaw - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes

Emberpaw - ginger and brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Lakepaw - longhaired misty gray she-cat with lighter markings and yellow eyes

 **Queens:** Brightsong - longhaired golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Amberkit (pale amber brown and white she-kit) and Lionkit (golden tabby tom with darker streaks)

Bluestream - lithe sleek gray she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Stormkit (slim dark gray tabby tom), Cloudkit (very pale gray and white dappled tom) and Applekit (mottled gray and brown dappled she-kit)

 **Elders:** Volestep - dark gray tabby tom

Hailfrost - pale gray tom with thick darker gray streaks

Ripplefeather - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

Cedarfall - light brown tabby tom

 **ThunderClan**

 **Leader:** Specklestar - longhaired white she-cat with silver dapples

 **Deputy:** Spiderleap - battle-scarred black and white tom with yellow eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Pebblefur - pale gray tom with darker dapples

 **Warriors:** Molefoot - dark brown tabby tom

Cherrycloud - pale ginger she-cat with darker flecks

Apprentice, Skypaw

Paleflower - pale gray she-cat

Apprentice, Dustpaw

Whiteblaze - white and gray tom with yellow eyes

Icefern - silver and white tabby she-cat

Shrewtail - lithe sleek dark brown tom with a white belly and legs

Larkflight - tortoiseshell she-cat

Apprentice, Lightningpaw

Dewlight - gray and brown dappled she-cat

Birchshade - mottled brown tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Cinderpaw

Finchfang - golden brown and reddish tabby tom

Swiftleap - light gray tom with darker streaks

Feathernose - longhaired dark gray she-cat with white paws

Bouldertail - broad shouldered dark gray tom with green eyes

 **Apprentices:** Lightningpaw - black tom with a white chest

Skypaw - pale gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Dustpaw - gray and white tom

Cinderpaw - longhaired white and pale gray she-cat

 **Queens:** Lilyshine - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Crowkit (black tom with gray feet) and Mousekit (dark brown tabby tom)

Honeynose - mottled golden and white tabby she-cat with slightly darker stripes

 **Elders:** Mossynose - brown tom with gray patches

Briarfoot - dark brown and white tom

Softsky - longhaired pale gray she-cat

 **WindClan**

 **Leader:** Ashstar - dark gray she-cat with darker feet and blue eyes

 **Deputy:** Graystorm - longhaired gray tom with a darker streak down his spine and amber eyes

Apprentice, Thornpaw

 **Medicine Cat:** Hazelmist - pale brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Blizzardpaw

 **Warriors:** Rabbitflight - sleek black and white tom

Daisyleaf - pale brown tabby she-cat

Slatefoot - light gray tom with a white chest

Apprentice, Ryepaw

Echoheart - longhaired pale gray she-cat with darker patches

Thistlepelt - sandy gray tom with tufted ears

Apprentice, Foxpaw

Meadowpool - pale golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws

Wildclaw - dark brown tabby and white tom

Apprentice, Leafpaw

Sootfrost - dark brown tom with blue eyes and a fluffy tail

Apprentice, Owlpaw

Hareleap - black and white tom

Fernsplash - pale gray she-cat with darker patches like a splash

 **Apprentices:** Foxpaw - ginger tabby and white tom

Ryepaw - reddish tabby she-cat

Leafpaw - tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlpaw - light brown tabby tom

Thornpaw - golden brown tom

Blizzardpaw - pale gray and white tom

 **Queens:** Sweetstem - light brown and ginger she-cat, mother of Mothkit (brown tabby she-kit), Breezekit (dark brown and white tabby tom), and Shadekit (dark gray tom)

Goldenwing - golden tabby she-cat, mother of Blossomkit (tortoiseshell and white she-kit)

 **Elders:** Sunfang - dark ginger tabby tom

Berryleaf - pale cream and white she-cat

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader:** Reedstar - sleek black tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy:** Shimmerstorm - longhaired black and white tabby she-cat

 **Medicine Cat:** Minnowleap - silver tabby she-cat

 **Warriors:** Ripplefang - dark gray tabby tom

Mistyshine - longhaired gray she-cat with black streaks

Apprentice, Sandpaw

Wavefrost - gray and white tabby tom

Webstream - thick furred very pale gray tom with white paws

Rushblaze - light ginger tabby tom

Splashpelt - dark gray tabby she-cat

Willowspring - silver and white tabby she-cat

Smoketooth - black and gray tom

Petalsplash - longhaired reddish and white she-cat

Beetlefall - sleek black tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Mintpaw

Rainbreeze - longhaired dark gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Runningpaw

Driftclaw - longhaired dark brown tabby tom

 **Apprentices:** Sandpaw - pale ginger she-cat

Mintpaw - light gray she-cat with green eyes

Runningpaw - brown tabby tom

 **Queens:** Poolnose - long-haired gray and white she-cat, mother of Shellkit (pale gray dappled tom) and Volekit (dark gray tom)

Swallowwing - light gray tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes, mother of Streamkit (longhaired gray tabby she-cat) and Aspenkit (pale ginger tom)

 **Elders:** Dapplesky - long-haired pale gray dappled she-cat

Troutleap - blue gray tabby tom

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader:** Oakstar - mottled dark brown tom

 **Deputy:** Nightfeather - sleek black she-cat

 **Medicine Cat:** Marshnose - dark brown and black tom

 **Warriors:** Dustflame - dark brown tom with a white tipped tail and chest

Hollytail - longhaired black she-cat

Mudnose - dark brown and white tom

Grassfoot - black and brown tom

Barknose - pale brown tabby tom

Brindledust - pale brown she-cat with darker streaks

Dawnwhisker - golden and white tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Russetpaw

Tansydrop - reddish tabby she-cat

Scorchflame - pale gray tom

Hollowfall - black and brown tom

Apprentice, Ivypaw

Seedstrike - golden brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Darkpaw

Flameshade - dark ginger and black tom

 **Apprentices:** Ivypaw - gray and white tabby she-cat

Darkpaw - dark gray and black tom

Russetpaw - red tabby she-cat

 **Queens:** Poppyflight - ginger tabby she-cat, mother of Weaselkit (pale ginger tom), Oatkit (cream and brown tom), Puddlekit (pale gray tom) and Fallowkit (light gray tabby she-kit)

 **Elders** : Cloudfall - pale gray and white tom

Spottedberry - brown dappled she-cat

Blackfrost - black and white tom

 **Prologue**

A patrol of six cats toiled slowly through the dark woods. They moved cautiously through the shadowy undergrowth, their ears pricked and eyes were scanning the dark forest around them for any sign of life. They moved slowly, careful to comb every inch of the forest floor, leaving no hollow or dip unsearched.

A gentle breeze blew, stirring the tops of the gray trees that loomed like dark giants over the cats' heads. The cat at the front of the patrol, a muscular battle-scarred black and white patched tom raised his sleek black muzzle and tasted the air. At a scent carried on the wind, the tom froze, his fur bristling and his eyes darkened.

Before he could move, a battle cry echoed across the dim hills above them. From the shadow of trees and the protection of boulders, several rogues emerged, their grimly pelts matted and eyes gleaming with hatred. The rogues dashed down the hillside and threw themselves at the startled Clan cats. A mottled brown tom, just behind the black and white tom, let out a yowl of surprise as a flea-bitten she-cat came crashing into him.

The black and white tom sprang into battle, coming face-to-face with a large dark gray tom with shredded ears. "Ash!" The black tom growled, swiping at his opponent's shoulder, claws unsheathed. "You know better than to trespass! These are ThunderClan hunting grounds!"

Ash sneered and replied, "Not for long, Spiderleap! Soon you and your pathetic Clans will be bowing before Strike!"

"I would rather die!" Spiderleap spat back.

"You shall get your wish then!" The dark gray tom snarled, revealing a row of yellow teeth. Ash returned a blow, catching Spiderleap's paw and the black and white tom stumbled.

Spiderleap swung again, but the rogue dodged and while the black and white warrior tried to regain his balance, attacked him from behind. The warrior twisted, trying to throw his enemy off, but Ash only dug his curved claws deeper into Spiderleap's pelt. Spiderleap bucked again and managed throw to Ash off. Pain seared through him and blood dripped from his flanks where Ash had clawed him.

The warrior spun to face the rogue. Ash was already on his paws, shaking moldy leaves and scraps of moss from his bloody pelt. Spiderleap was about to bound forward when a weight crashed down on his tail, stopping him in his tracks. The black and white tom spun around. Pain whipped up his long black tail as he wrenched it free. A sandy brown she-cat crouched in the shadows just behind him, a few tufts of his fur caught in her unsheathed claws. A long scar ran down her shoulder and parted the hair on her chest, giving her a rough and dangerous look.

Hissing, Spiderleap sprang at the enemy rogue, and they crashed into one another, falling to the forest floor in a whirl of claws and fur. The black and white warrior dodged a strike from the she-cat, feeling her nails just graze his whiskers. Ducking out of the way, Spiderleap slipped to her other side and sunk his teeth into his opponent's leg.

The brown she-cat struggled, letting out a yowl of pain as she tried to wrench her leg free. Spiderleap bit down harder, and the she-cat let loose another howl. The warrior got a glimpse of the battle around him. The ThunderClan warriors were struggling against the impossible odds.

Icefern, a silver and white tabby she-cat was back up against an ancient oak tree, surrounded by several rogues. Birchshade, a mottled brown tom wrestled in the dust with a dark gray tom. Dewlight, a dappled gray and brown she-cat was locked in battle with a reddish-brown rogue. Little by little, the rogues were driving the Clan cats deeper and deeper into ThunderClan territory.

Spiderleap felt teeth sink into his scruff and haul him off of the sandy brown she-cat. A strong paw forced him to the ground and held him there with an iron grip.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Ash's smirking face loomed above him as Spiderleap let himself go limp. The dark gray rogue relaxed his grip. With a powerful thrust of his hind legs, Spiderleap pushed Ash off of him and sprang to his paws. The toms clashed and wrestled on the damp forest floor, tearing fiercely at each other.

The sandy brown she-cat suddenly appeared at Ash's side, and the two of the slowly drove Spiderleap back. His muzzle stung as Ash made contact. Blood dripped from his flank where the sandy brown rogue had raked her claws down, and bits of fur were missing.

All around him, the ThunderClan cats were being overwhelmed. It was a hopeless fight. "ThunderClan, retreat!" Spiderleap called. The ThunderClan warriors left their opponents and fled after him. Spiderleap glanced behind him to see the rogues standing together, their eyes gleaming with triumph.

. . .

The patrol limped slowly through the starlight woods, heading toward a bramble thicket whose thorny branches cast dark shadows in the pre-dawn light. They moved slowly, two warriors leaning on others for support. Spiderleap padded at the head, Icefern, her leg bloody and hanging at an odd angle was leaning heavily on his shoulder.

The ThunderClan cats entered the thorn tunnel and emerged into a stone hollow with towering walls full of crevices that rose on three sides. Around the top of the hollow, tall oaks grew, their new leaves casting lacy shadows on the grassy ground. At the sound of the returning patrol, the ThunderClan cats were awakened and soon the clearing was flooded with cats.

"What happened?"

"Not the rogues again!"

"It's the third attack this moon!" Murmurs arose from the cats in the clearing when they saw their wounded Clanmates.

"Coming through!" A broad-shouldered dappled gray tom pushed his way through the crowd. He padded to Spiderleap's side and looked the tom over. "Another rogue attack?" The speckled tom asked grimly.

"Yes, Pebblefur," Spiderleap replied, dipping his head to the medicine cat. "They got us this time right near the ShadowClan border."

"Is anyone seriously injured?" Pebblefur asked.

"I'm fine, just a few scratches, but you should take a look at Icefern and Molefoot. They have the most severe injuries." Spiderleap replied.

"Come to my den right after you speak with Specklestar. She will want to know what happened, but I don't want those scratches getting infected." Pebblefur ordered.

"I will." The black and white tom promised. Pebblefur padded over to where Icefern and Molefoot were standing. Beckoning to them, medicine cat led them to his den.

The crowd of cats parted to let a beautiful white she-cat with sleek fur and silver dapples like water droplets pass through. Regally, she padded to stand in front of the remaining cats of the patrol, a worried expression on her face. "What happened, Spiderleap?" The she-cat asked, her eyes filled with concern for her cats.

Once again, Spiderleap dipped his head respectfully. "Specklestar, we were ambushed again. This time by the ShadowClan border. Luckily, no one was killed, but Molefoot and Icefern are seriously injured."

Specklestar nodded, her usually bright blue eyes darkening with anger. "Thank you, Spiderleap. Go get you injuries checked. We will speak in the morning."

The black and white tom nodded and pushed his way through the crowd, heading for the medicine cat's den. The rest of the Clan broke up into small groups, murmuring to each other as they headed back to their dens. Specklestar turned and padding up the tumble of rocks, slipped into her den.

. . .

Specklestar sat on the Highledge, her white muzzle raised, her clear blue eyes fixed on the stars. Her fluffy tail drooped, and her shoulders slumped. The war with the rogues had taken it's toll on her.

"Are you searching for answers?" A soft meow startled Specklestar out of her thoughts and she leaped to her feet, fur bristling. When she saw that it was just Pebblefur, the white leader sat down again, wrapping her tail around her paws.

"Yes." She replied, her voice low. "Has StarClan told you anything?" The leader asked, glancing at Pebblefur who had taken a seat beside her.

"No. I haven't spoken to any StarClan cat in many moons." The medicine cat replied.

Specklestar lay down, tucking her paws underneath her. "Sometimes, it seems that I am destined to lead my Clan to ruin and watch every cat I love die before my eyes."

Pebblefur shifted closer and draped his tail comfortingly over his leader's shoulders. "Specklestar, there may be a way to win this war," Pebblefur whispered.

"I don't know, Pebblefur." Specklestar sighed.

"Wait a moment; you will want to hear this. When I was a kit, my mother told me that many seasons ago, many cats were banished or left the Clans. There were whisperings of a long forgotten Clan that the cats made in the high mountains. A lost Clan. If it is true and they would help us, we may be able to win this war." Pebblefur told her, his eyes lighting up with excitement and hope.

"It sounds like a long shot, Pebblefur. We don't know if they even exist. Now is not the best time to send warriors into unknown territory." Specklestar said doubtfully.

"If every Clan sent warriors, we would only have to send two or three," Pebblefur suggested.

"Good idea. I will send out messengers to the other Clans in the morning. We will seek the forgotten Clan." Specklestar turned to Pebblefur, hope glittering in her blue eyes.

 **Hi everyone! Here is my first story, The Forgotten Clan. Please review but no cursing or swearing. Thanks for reading!**

 **\- Maplebreeze**


	2. Chapter 1: Dark Figures

**Chapter 1 - Dark Figures**

Maplebreeze stood on a worn gray rock, looking out over the green valley far below. The dark blue mountains sloped gracefully into smaller hills, their tops bright green with the freshness of early Newleaf. They reminded her of a river, rising and dipping rhythmically. The hills eventually evened out, and far away she could see vast meadows and lush forests. It was her favorite view. Up here, she could see all the way to the other Clan's lake that glittered in the morning sunlight in the distance.

A cool breeze blew, ruffling her long golden brown fur. Maplebreeze smiled. She loved being out here with the sun, the wind, and the mountains. _It's beautiful. I wonder how the valley Clans live down there. It is so clear up here; you can smell and see everything. I could never live in a forest like ThunderClan and ShadowClan._ Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, she closed her eyes and let the breeze rustle her brown fur. Her kits, Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw had just become apprentices, and this was her first time out of the camp in a long time. _I've missed this view._

"Maplebreeze!" An excited voice interrupted her thoughts. "Come on; I want to see the territory!" Maplebreeze sighed and opened her eyes as she turned and leaped down to join the rest of the border patrol. Sorrelpaw, her tortoiseshell, and white kit, was bouncing around her new mentor, Nightflame, a large framed sleek, longhaired black tom.

"Sorrelpaw, you need to learn to have patience." The black tom scolded his new apprentice.

"Okay!" Sorrelpaw chirped but continued bouncing around her mentor, not affected at all by the scolding. Maplebreeze purred and touched noses with her spirited daughter.

"Then let's get going, shall we?" Maplebreeze meowed. Nodding to the rest of the patrol, Morningfrost, a lovely gray and golden dappled senior warrior and Sparrowshade, a new warrior with a dark brown tabby pelt, she led them away from the overlook and across the bare mountainside.

They traveled at a quick pace down the mountainside toward the river border. Maplebreeze led the patrol through one of the rare pine groves on the higher part of the mountain that MountainClan called home. The trees were small and sturdy, much like the cats that inhabited the mountain. The pines were short and scruffy, withered from the harsh wind and cold. Growing in clumps beneath them, robust flowers and herbs that Blossomshade, their medicine cat often collected, took refuge in the protection of the pine trees.

The patrol emerged from the pine grove and traveled briskly along the banks of a mountain stream, the water swelled from the melting snow on the highest peak of the range. The brook wound its way down the steep slope, skipping and falling across the bare stone.

"Nightflame, when can I learn to hunt? Can we start now? I can't wait to hunt eagles!" Sorrelpaw meowed eagerly.

"Sorrelpaw, we are on a border patrol. We will hunt some other time." Nightflame said seriously, draping his tail over his new apprentice's shoulders in a fruitless effort to calm the energetic she-cat down.

Sorrelpaw shook off his black tail and meowed, "I can't wait!" Bounding off, she disappeared along with a small trail between two moss-covered boulders.

"Sorrelpaw, stay with the patrol!" Nightflame called exasperatedly as his apprentice's white tipped tail disappeared around the boulder. "I don't know how you dealt with her every day for six moons." He sighed.

Maplebreeze let out a marrow of amusement. "You'll get used to her." She promised, her amber eyes sparkling with laughter.

"She has enough enthusiasm and energy. It'll be hard to keep up with her." Nightflame flicked his tail and bounded after his fleeing apprentice. With a wave of her tail, the MountainClan deputy stopped the patrol to wait for Nightflame and Sorrelpaw to come back.

A few moments later, Nightflame and his apprentice reappeared. "Maplebreeze, come, you should see this." The black tom's meow sounded worried, even for him, and his leaf green gaze was concerned.

"Okay," Maplebreeze said as she got to her paws and followed the senior warrior through the boulders, with Sorrelpaw, Morningfrost, and Sparrowshade close behind them. They emerged onto another cliff, this one overlooking a ravine, its' left side covered with fallen trees and large stones.

"Another avalanche," Nightflame said solemnly, padding up beside Maplebreeze. The two of them stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the ruins the avalanche had caused. Many of the rocks formally at the top of the slope had fallen, dragging several trees down with them and leaving a large sandy wall where they had been. The remains of the tree lay on the ground at the bottom of the ravine, their roots and branches sticking out of the piles of rubble.

"It must have been caused by the storm a few days ago," Maplebreeze said gravely. "It is way too close to camp for my liking. The next one could destroy our camp and kill everyone."

"I agree. We should report this to Snowstar right away." Morningfrost meowed, coming up beside her Clanmates.

"Yes." Maplebreeze agreed. "Why don't you take Sparrowshade back to camp and report to Snowstar. I'll finish the patrol with Nightflame and Sorrelpaw."

"Okay." Morningfrost nodded and led Sparrowshade through the pass between the boulders.

As the two warriors disappeared, Maplebreeze turned to Nightflame. "We should finish the patrol." She meowed. The MountainClan cats padded back between the boulders, their expressions grim. Even the usually energetic Sorrelpaw was subdued and trotted quietly behind her mentor, lost in her own thoughts.

"It's the second avalanche this month." Nightflame murmured worriedly to Maplebreeze as he padded down the trail beside her.

"It's happening so close to camp." Maplebreeze sighed grimly. "We need to be careful."

"We're lucky no one has been hit recently," Nightflame replied. "After losing Pebblepaw, I don't think Snowstar can bear to lose another cat."

"Yeah, this territory may not be safe for us anymore." The golden brown tabby she-cat agreed, a grave expression on her face.

The small patrol continued down the trail by the mountain stream. As they got closer to the foot of the mountain, the trees thickened and the ground evened out. The exposed stone and tough grass gave way to softer grass and lush undergrowth. They soon reached the valley border. The scent line for the valley border was placed adjacent to a clearing surrounded several large oak trees.

"We call this border the valley border," Nightflame told Sorrelpaw, indicating where the scent line was with his tail.

"Cool!" Sorrelpaw chirped. "Can I mark the border? Is this the scent line? Will we see the other borders?" The tortoiseshell and white she-cat skipped excitedly around, looking at everything around her, all serious thoughts forgotten.

"Slow down." Nightflame chuckled. "If you sniff the ground, you can smell the scent line. And if you follow me, I will show you how to mark the border."

Sorrelpaw instantly had her nose to the ground, sniffing intently. "I can smell the scent markers!" She chirped.

Nightflame smiled. "Okay, I'll show you how to mark them now." The pair padded along the border and disappeared into a bunch of ferns.

Maplebreeze smiled. They make a great pair. Snowstar chose a good mentor for her. Her daughter's enthusiastic and energetic personality had already softened the typically gruff and serious tom. Gazing through the trees, she could see the lake where the other Clans lived, sparkling far in the distance. _I wonder what life there is like there. We know about them, but I don't think they know about us. I wonder what would happen if they found us? She thought. Wait a moment, are those cats?_ Maplebreeze squinted, trying to make out several dark figures that were making their way over the rolling green hills of the mountain range, coming from the direction of the Clan's lake.

"Maplebreeze, are you coming?" Nightflame asked as he reappeared through the bunch of ferns.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Maplebreeze meowed. She took one quick glance back at the Clan territories, but the dark figures had disappeared. Shaking her head, Maplebreeze followed her Clanmates into the woods.

Maplebreeze led Nightflame and Sorrelpaw to check another border that was marked by a broad river; the river border. MountainClan's territory covered most of one side of the mountain where they lived. It took two border patrols to cover their entire area once a day since their territory was so large. Hunting patrols always had to spread out to find the scarce prey that inhabited the mountain range.

After resetting the river border scent markers, the patrol turned back and headed back to the MountainClan camp. The warriors soon reached the MountainClan camp, located in a high, protected hollow on the side of the mountain located near the highest peak. The steep slope around their camp made it hard to attack and easy to defend.

. . .

The sun hung low in the sky as Maplebreeze led her patrol through the entrance, a pass between two large stones into the camp. A group of MountainClan cats were clustered around a stone ledge at the back of the hollow. Snowstar, MountainClan's sleek white and gray patched leader, was just finishing an announcement.

"...it was too close to camp, so I want every cat to be careful. No one should go out in storms alone, and you all need to stay away from places where other avalanches have occurred. I don't want anyone getting hurt." Maplebreeze caught her last few words, and she padded over to join the group. Snowstar finished speaking and jumped down off the ledge. The gray and white leader trotted over to Maplebreeze, "Morningfrost informed me of what Nightflame found." Snowstar told her deputy with a worried twitch of her long whiskers.

Dipping her golden brown head, Maplebreeze responded, "Yes, it was larger than the last ones. One whole side of the ravine near the valley border was torn down. At least seven trees were felled as well."

"That's the second one this moon." Snowstar sighed wearily. "They're getting more frequent."

"The territory may not be safe for us anymore. We might have to find a new home." Maplebreeze meowed seriously, and Snowstar nodded in agreement.

"I addressed the Clan and told them of Nightflame's finding. I instructed all patrols to be careful while hunting or guarding the borders, especially around the places where avalanches have happened before, and I made sure they all know not to go out in a storm alone, but there's only so much we can do." Snowstar meowed gravelly. "I don't know what I will do if we lose another cat. After Pebblepaw…"

"I know," Maplebreeze murmured. "It was sad. He had his whole life ahead of him. We have to be extra careful, so none of our Clanmates share his tragic fate." About a year before Snowstar's three remaining kits due to one of them being stillborn had been made apprentices. In the first moon of their apprenticeship, Pebblepaw, the brother of Sparrowshade and Fernbreeze, then Sparrowpaw and Fernpaw, had been killed in an avalanche while hunting with his mentor, Stoneshade. Stoneshade had escaped alive, but with serious injuries to his body and emotions because he felt responsible for the death of his first apprentice.

"How was Sorrelpaw's tour?" Snowstar asked, a smile of amusement on her face as she changed the subject to light things.

"Sorrelpaw was a pawful, but she and Nightflame had a good time. He is a good mentor for her." Maplebreeze commented.

Snowstar let a morrow of laughter. Sorrelpaw was known throughout the Clan as a very playful and energetic cat. The white and gray leader replied, "I'm not surprised. Now, It's been a long day. We should all get some rest." Dipping her head to Snowstar, Maplebreeze turned and started to pad across the clearing to the warriors' den.

Remembering the mysterious figures she had seen earlier, Maplebreeze turned back toward her leader. "Snowstar, I think I saw some cats making their way toward our territory earlier. But I wasn't sure."

"Okay, let me know if you see them again." Snowstar decided. Maplebreeze nodded and headed across the clearing to the warriors' den, her muscles aching from the long trek across the territory.

 **Hi guys, here is the first chapter, Dark Figures. Please review and thanks for reading!**

 **\- Maplebreeze**


	3. Chapter 2: Storm

**Chapter 2**

Bright sun rays streamed through the small entrance to the warriors den, bordered by two scruffy pines. Maplebreeze's eyelids fluttered as she emerged from a restless sleep. _Oh, no! I've overslept._ The sleek golden brown she-cat got to her paws and hurried outside. The sun was just visible over the rim of the hollow and wisps of clouds still shown with tinges of orange and pink.

A few warriors sat in the center of the hollow, looking unsure of what they were supposed to be doing. Maplebreeze quickly trotted over to them. Dewstorm, his powerful brown and gray tabby pelt darker as he sat talking to Nettlewhisker and Thrushfang in the shadow of the Tallledge, looked up as she approached.

Silverflight and Morningfrost emerged from the warrior's den, Nightflame close behind them. Brackenstep, Breezeclaw, and Dawnwing padded over from the fresh-kill pile in the corner between the nursery and the apprentice's den. A few apprentice trotted out from their den and gathered at the back of the crowd.

"I'm sorry I slept in," Maplebreeze said, addressing the crowd. "Anyway, since the dawn patrol hasn't gone out yet I want Thrushfang to lead a patrol to mark the river border and the peak border and Raindapple to take a patrol to the cliff border and the valley border. Take two or three cats of your choice." She decided. Thrushfang and Raindapple nodded and turned to gather their cats. Thrushfang collected Pinefall, Shimmermist, and Hawkpaw and headed through the entrance toward the river border. Raindapple followed them, Fernbreeze and Ravenheart in tow.

"I will lead a hunting patrol, with Dewstorm, Sagefrost, Creekpaw, and Gorsestep. Breezeclaw can lead the other with Sparrowshade, Silverflight, Frostpaw, and Brackenstep."

"Hey Maplebreeze," Gorsestep called from where he sat just behind Dewstorm and Morningfrost. "Breezeclaw and I were going to take Frostpaw and Creekpaw to the Flatrocks for a training session."

Thinking quickly, Maplebreeze replied, "Okay, Brackenstep can lead the second hunting patrol. Dawnwing can join my patrol and Moringfrost can join Brackenstep's." The patrols having been decided, the crowd dispersed.

"Hey, Maplebreeze," A soft voice purred. The golden tabby she-cat turned to see her mate, Brackenstep, a pale brown and white tom standing behind her.

"Hi," She purred.

"Look over there." Brackenstep meowed, pointing with his tail to the entrance where their kits, Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw were heading with their mentors out for the tour of the second part of MountainClan's territory. The three new apprentices stood in a line in front of their new mentors, Nettlewhisker, Nightflame, and Stoneshade. Like usual, Sorrelpaw was bouncing around her mentor, chattering excitedly. Lakepaw hung back, staring shyly at the ground. As they watched, Emberpaw padded over to his sister and rested his tail on her pale gray shoulder comfortingly.

Maplebreeze purred and twined her tail with his. "I can't believe their apprentices already. It seems just yesterday that they were a moon old and begging the elders for a story." The three new apprentices followed their mentors through the boulder pass and disappeared out into the territory.

"I better go." Brackenstep meowed, giving her a lick goodbye. With a flick of his tail, the light brown tom led his hunting patrol quickly out the entrance. Maplebreeze smiled and went to gather her patrol. Dewstorm, Dawnwing, and Sagefrost were resting on the rocky base of the Tallledge. When they saw the golden brown she-cat, the trio of warriors got to their paws and followed their deputy out of the camp. Letting Dewstorm, a senior warrior take the lead, Maplebreeze fell into step with her friend, Sagefrost.

"Hi," The pale ginger and white she-cat meowed.

"Hey, Sagefrost," Maplebreeze replied. "You're quiet today." She commented. Her usually talkative companion had hardly said a word. Sagefrost twitched her whiskers but said nothing. "Come on, you can tell me what's going on." The golden she-cat playfully pushed her ginger friend.

Sagefrost sighed and said, "I guess I am just missing our friendship. You've been so busy with your kits and so is Bluestream. I miss when it was just the three of us. I-I feel kind of left out because I'm the only one without a mate. I wish it could be like it when we were apprentices and new warriors." Sagefrost finished speaking a stared silently at the bare ground in front of them.

Shock flooded through Maplebreeze at her friend's words. Sagefrost and Bluestream had been her best friends since she was a kit. Sagefrost was only about a moon older than her and was like a sister to the deputy. They three of them had done everything together as apprentices and never kept secrets from each other. Touching her nose to Sagefrost's ginger ear. "Oh, I wish you told me! I'm sorry that you feel that way." She said sympathetically. "Is that why you've been so distant?" The ginger and white warrior nodded.

"You know, I've seen the way Breezeclaw looks at you." Maplebreeze meowed playfully.

"Really?" Sagefrost looked up a surprise in her yellow eyes.

"Really." She confirmed, her amber eyes sparkling with amusement. By then the mountainside had flattened out ahead of them stretched an expansive grove of trees, The pine trees here grew taller, mixing with cedar and oaks. The small patrol stopped on an old rock that jutted out of the hillside, creating a small plateau on the steep incline. Below the forest stretched out in all directions, the sort trees covering almost the entire part mountainside here.

Maplebreeze turned to face her patrol. "Okay, you all know how to do this. Dewstorm will be our first century, watch out for eagle, hawks or any other predator. Dawnwing will replace him in a little while. The rest of us will do the hunting." The MountainClan cats nodded and Sagefrost and Dawnwing leaped off the stone and headed for the treeline. Dewstorm positioned himself at the front of the rock, his gazing scanning the sky for possible threats. After checking that Dewstorm was in position, Maplebreeze leaped down and headed after the she-cats.

The air gray distinctly cooler as she slipped into the forest. The half grown leaves on the green trees blocked most of the sunlight, but a few rays were still visible just beyond the blanket of leaves above her head, casting lace-like shadows on the damp earth. This part of their territory, known as the green wood for its unusually tall and thick trees, always had plenty of prey. Set close to the base of the mountain, just beyond where the Cliff and Valley border met, this part of the mountain was the only place where you could find thick trees and plenty of cover.

Lifting her sleek head, Maplebreeze tasted the air. She could smell her clanmates close by along with several small creatures, hidden in the undergrowth all around her. Just ahead of her she could smell the musky scent of a mountain hare. Fern fronds swayed and Sagefrost and Dawnwing emerged behind her. "There's a rabbit up ahead." She whispered. The she-cats nodded and Dawnwing slipped into the forest again padding to the left to cut off the rabbit's escape route. Maplebreeze instinctively dropped into a crouch, her body close to the ground and tail sticking straight out behind her. Sagefrost couched beside her and together the two warriors slunk through the undergrowth toward the unsuspecting prey.

The MountainClan cats rounded a large oak tree and saw the hare sitting a few taillengths away. Maplebreeze slunk toward in, just slightly behind Sagefrost. In a few more paw steps, they would be able to pounce. Crack! At the sound of the twig snap under Maplebreeze's paw, the rabbit sat immediately sat upright and bolted into the bushes. Sagefrost gave chase and letting out a cry of "Mouse dung!" Maplebreeze dashed after her. The rabbit, being agiler than the clan cats quickly disappeared into the forest. Maplebreeze and Sagefrost slowed, the hare was already gone.

Dawnwing burst out of the bush a foxlength away and skidded to a stop. "Mouse-dung! We were two slow." She panted.

"Sorry, I was my fault," Maplebreeze apologized. "Even apprentice's can do better."

"It's okay, there is plenty more prey," Sagefrost replied. The three of them split, spreading out into the forest. Maplebreeze trotted, along her eyes scanning the woods for prey, determined to make up for the rabbit she had lost. Sniffing the air she smelled a bird just beyond the wall of ferns in front of her. Dropping into a crouch once more, she slowly stalked the bird. Paw step, by paw step, she drew closer. The bird was in sight now, pecking at the ground with its long beak. The warrior bunched her muscles and leaped, catching the bird by surprise and finishing it off with a quick bite to the thought.

"Good catch," a voice commented. Maplebreeze turned to see Dawnwing standing behind her, two mice resting at her paws.

"Thanks, you've had good hunting as well by the look of it," Maplebreeze replied, giving the mice a sniff.

"Maplebreeze! Dawnwing! Maplebreeze! Dawnwing!" A voice called.

Glancing at her clanmate, Maplebreeze said, "That's Dewstorm, there must be something wrong." Picking up their prey, the she-cats headed quickly to the edge of the forest. Dewstorm and Sagefrost sat on the rock plateau, gazing at the forest anxiously. A relieved expression showed on the senior warrior's face when he saw his clan mates emerge. "We were just about to come looking for you." The brown and black tom called. "There's a storm coming, we should head back to camp."

Maplebreeze glanced at the sky at her and saw that what the senior warrior said was right. In the distance angry-looking storm clouds were gathering and a cool wind was bringing them closer at an alarming speed. When the storm came the winds would be extremely harsh, fast enough to knock a cat off their paws and severely injure them. There was also the danger of avalanches that a particularly wild storm could cause.

Maplebreeze turned to her clanmates, her face grim, "We need to get back to camp immediately." Gathering up their prey, the four warriors traveled swiftly in the direction of the MountainClan camp.

The hunting patrol straggled into camp just as the first few raindrop were starting to fall. Maplebreeze hurried into camp, Sagefrost, Dawnwing, and Dewstorm on her heels. All of the other patrols were back already and most of the cats were sheltering in their dens. After dropping her prey in the fresh-kill pile, under a rocky overhang to protect it from the rain, Maplebreeze scanned the camp for Snowstar. The gray and white leader was talking to Nettlewhisker and Thrushfang outside her den, to the left of the Talledge. Maplebreeze trotted over as Snowstar finished speaking.

"Thank you. Go rest in the warrior's den. Hopefully, this will pass soon." Snowstar dismissed the two toms and the turned to her brown furred deputy. "Good, you're back." The leader meowed, sounding relieved.

"Is everyone else back?" Maplebreeze asked worriedly. To her relief Snowstar, nodded.

"Hopefully, this should pass soon. We should all rest in the dens until it does." Snowstar said optimistically.

"I don't think so. I saw the storm clouds on our way back to camp. It might not pass until tomorrow." Maplebreeze replied.

"We'll just have to wait out the storm then. We should make sure everyone is inside. I'll take the nursery and elder's den. You check the apprentice's den and the warrior's den. Blossomshade and Birdpaw are already in their den."

Dipping her head, Maplebreeze quickly trotted across the camp and poked her head inside the cave that made up the apprentice den. At her scent, Frostpaw and Hawkpaw, the eldest apprentices looked up from where they were talking with Dewstorm's son, Creekpaw, who was also Birdpaw's brother.

Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw huddled together on the other side of the den. Emberpaw had his ginger and brown tail wrapped protectively around Lakepaw's shuddering shoulders. The three of them looked up as Maplebreeze padded over to them.

"I'm scared." Lakepaw whimpered. "The thunder is so loud."

Maplebreeze licked her daughter comfortingly around her pale gray ears. "It's okay, you are here with your siblings. Brackenstep and I are in the next den over, if you need anything." She murmured to her youngest kit.

"Yeah, I'll be right here beside you," Emberpaw added. After touching noses with her other kits, Maplebreeze headed outside again. The rain had turned to a downpour, drenching her fur. Maplebreeze slipped into the warriors den and shook her fur. Glancing quickly around she saw that everyone was there. She slipped past the slumbering warrior to her nest in the center of the den. Brackenstep was already asleep in his mossy nest next her's. Curling up, the golden warrior fell asleep quickly.

. . .

A paw prodded Maplebreeze and she turned over uncomfortably. "Maplebreeze!" A voice hissed in her ear and the paw prodded her again.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake." Opening her eyes she stared up at Thrushfang, his yellow eyes wild. Immediately alert she asked, "What is it?"

"You should hear this." He replied grimly, leading her out of the den and into the wild rain. They dashed to the edge of the camp stopping under the overhang just outside of the boulder pass. The warriors skidded to a stop and Thrushfang said urgently, "Listen!"

Pricking her ears, Maplebreeze listened. Over the howl of the rain, she could hear something. A low yowl. "That's a cat!" She hissed."They're calling for help! I'll be right back." Dashing out from under the overhang, Maplebreeze sprinted across the camp and slipped inside Snowstar's den.

The gray and white leader looked up from where she lay curled in a nest of moss and pine bows. "Maplebreeze what is it?" She asked sleepily.

"There are cats somewhere in our territory, calling for help. Thrushfang heard them and came to wake me. I would like to lead a patrol and see if we could help them." The golden brown tabby she-cat requested.

"You're sure?" Snowstar asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Maplebreeze confirmed. "It is our duty to find and help them. No one should be out in a storm like this."

"I don't want to risk the lives of our warriors," Snowstar answered, shaking her sleek white head.

"I would only take trained warriors and we would come straight back if we don't find anything. Please?" The brown deputy asked.

"Okay," Snowstar said reluctantly. As soon as her leader gave the okay, Maplebreeze spun around and dash back out into the pouring rain, heading for the warrior's den. "Be careful!" Snowstar called after her. Maplebreeze burst into the warrior's den, waking up several cats.

"Uh, Maplebreeze!"Pinefall complained. "You didn't have to wake us up."

"Well now that you're up you can come with me," Maplebreze replied, her white whiskers twitching with amusement. "Silverfight, Stoneshade!" She called to the two warriors at the back of the den. "Meet me outside!"

"Fine!" Pinefall grumbled and heaved himself onto his paws and reluctantly followed her out of the den. The black and white tom and his sister, Sagefrost could not have been more different. Pinefall was grumpy, gruff and a hard worker but sometimes lazy. Sagefrost was easygoing, cheerful and carefree.

Maplebreeze stopped just inside the entrance of the warrior's den as her patrol, Pinefall, Silverflight and Stoneshade gathered in front of her. Keeping her voice low, to not disturb the slumbering cats, Maplebreeze meowed, "Thrushfang just notified me that he heard a cat crying for help and I thought that we should go investigate."

"Do we really have to?" Pinefall complained. "I was just getting to sleep and it's so hard with the storm-"

Maplebreeze cut him off, "Yes, we have to. If you don't like it it's your problem. Let's go." She snapped. Whipping around she lead her patrol out into the swirling storm.

Thunder rumbled in the sky as Maplebreeze lead her patrol through the boulder pass and out into the territory. Rain poured down, soaking them as they made their way toward where Maplebreeze though she had heard the cries. Wind buffeted their fur, threatening to send them tumbling down the mountain. The cries had seemed to be coming from around where the river border and the valley border met.

"Dig your claws in," Maplebreeze called over the sound of the storm. "I don't want to lose anyone!"

After what seemed like hours of slow travel, the river its banks swelled with rain finally was in sight. Tilting her head to the sky, Maplebreeze listened. She could still hear the cries and they were louder, seemingly closer. After a few more moments of traveling, Maplebreeze spotted a cat. It was a silver tom, his fur plastered to his body by the drenching rain. To her surprise, several other cats, their fur drenched, appeared out from a bend in the river.

Turning to her patrol, Maplebreeze said quietly, "They're the cats that were crying for help."

"Who are they?" Stoneshade asked, peering curiously over Silverflight's shoulder.

"That doesn't matter right now. They need our help." Maplebreeze replied. Approaching slowly as to now scare the group of cats, Maplebreeze slowly lead her patrol over to the cluster of cats. Spotting her, the strange cats turned, their eyes wild with fear.

"It's okay," Maplebreeze said, dipping her head. "My name is Maplebreeze of MountainClan and we're here to help."

"MountainClan?" Echoed a tabby she-cat near the rear of the group.

Ignoring her, a dusty brown tabby tom stepped forward. "Greetings." He said, also dipping his head. "My name is Dustflame of ShadowClan. We're from the four clans. We-"

"Four clans?" Maplebreeze asked, shock rippling through her like a wave. "You are from the clans?" She repeated.

 **Hi, guys. Here is the second chapter, Storm. I have only gotten one review so far and I could use some helpful comments. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Maplebreeze**


	4. Chapter 3: Strangers

**Chapter 3**

 _They're from the four clans! How did they find us? How did they know we even existed?_ Questions whirled through Maplebreeze's mind as shock flooded over her, making her feel numb and disconnected. _What do they want? Why are they here?_

"Uh, Maplebreeze?" Stoneshade's deep voice, full of concern, brought her out of her thoughts. Turning her head, she met his pale blue eyes.

She snapped out of the trance just as Dustflame said, "Yes, we are." A confused expression on his brown face. "We have come in need of help."

Maplebreeze scanning their surroundings. The rain was beating down on them as hard as ever, creating small streams that splashed down to the river just behind the ragged group of clan cats. The pine trees, dotted along the rocky slope, bended and tossed in the whirling gale. Ignoring the ShadowClan tom's statement, she said, "We should take cover. The storm is worsening and the river may flood." Turning to her patrol, her back to the clan cats, Maplebreeze meowed, "We need to take cover before the storm gets any worse. There is no way that we can make it back to camp in this weather."

Understanding the dangers, Stoneshade, Silverflight and Pinefall nodded their agreement. "We could shelter in that cave just beyond the grove," Stoneshade suggested.

"Good idea." Turning back to the clan cats, Maplebreeze said, "We should take cover. There is a cave not far away. We'll bring you there." Sensing the urgency, the clan cats followed the patrol of MountainClan warriors silently.

Thunder rumbled overhead, as the cats traveled swiftly toward the peak of the mountain. They veered away from the river, just in case that the rain caused the swollen banks of the river to flood. The water was quick and cold and it could easily drag a cat down. To fall in meant certain death.

The highest peak of the mountain still covered with snow from the past winter loomed darkly about them, just visible through a curtain of rain clouds. Glancing behind her, she saw a long line of clan cats their fur sodden, padding along with their heads down against the pouring rain. Lowering hers as well, she pressed on.

It seemed to take forever but finally the cave came into sight. A harsh wind blew, tossing the course grass on the mountainside. Each step for Maplebreeze was a struggle as she tried to battle her way up the slope, the wind tearing at her fur.

"Only...a...little...bit further." She panted to the cats behind her, not even sure if they had heard her meow. A cat wailed behind her as his claws slipped and the wind sent him tumbling down the hillside. Fortunately, Silverflight and Stoneshade, at the back of the patrol, were able to catch the tom and help him to his paws.

After a few more agonizing moments of toiling, the cats reached the cave and slipped inside. Maplebreeze let out a sigh of relief as the darkness swallowed her and the storm faded to a dull roar outside. Voices whispered around her as the clan cats shook their soaked fur and settled themselves on the damp stone floor.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Maplebreeze could see the cats lying in small groups, scattered throughout the cave. Outside the storm whirled, but for now, they had shelter. The dark round walls of the cave, crisscrossed by marks and scratches stretched up to a tall ceiling, many tail-lengths above them. The stone floor of the cave was cold, with an occasionally shattered pebble or tuft of grass. Behind her, the cave went back as far as she could see, disappearing into the darkness.

"Maplebreeze?" A voice meowed, coming from behind her and Silverflight settled herself beside the golden brown tabby deputy. The senior warrior's silver and white tabby fur was plastered against her frame, making the lean she-cat look even smaller.

"Oh, hi," Maplebreeze said awkwardly. Cedarfall, the former deputy and Silverflight, Dewstorm, and Blossomshade's brother retired to the elder's den due to a broken leg that refused to heal. Silverflight had been a good candidate for deputy and many cats in the clan had supported her. A lot of cats were disappointed when Snowstar chose Maplebreeeze over the other candidates and things had been awkward between them since.

"The other cats are all settled down. That lazy furball Pinefall is snoring over there. I'm surprised that the other cats can even sleep." The silver she-cat joked and Maplebreeze chuckled softly. "I'm sorry things have been weird between us. Snowstar made a hard decision but I think she chose the right cat. You will make a great leader, Maplebreeze." Silverflight meowed.

"Th-thank you." Maplebreeze stuttered, blinking with surprise. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Your welcome," Silverflight replied graciously.

"What do you think about the clan cats? I can't believe they found us." Maplebreeze solemnly asked. "I wonder what Snowstar will say."

Silverflight stared ahead for a moment, her yellow gaze thoughtful. "It will probably make more sense when we find out why they came."

Maplebreeze nodded and replied, "But I wonder how they even knew about us. But our ancestors were banished by theirs'. They are the cause of our clan's suffering and here we are helping them." The golden tabby she-cat shook her head and sighed wearily.

Silverflight nodded her head thoughtfully. "But you know, cats can change. Just like we are not our ancestors they aren't their ancestors."

"But some cats don't," Maplebreeze said and shrugged. _There's no excuse for what they four clans did. They wrongfully banished and sentenced to death so many good cats and talented warriors just for breaking a few rules._

"Maplebreeze, I agree what the four clans did to our warrior ancestors was bad, but that was many moons ago." Silverflight continued, sounding annoyed.

"Yeah," Maplebreeze acknowledged with a twitch of her whiskers. "But a lot of great warriors that were sentenced to death or banished just for breaking the code. No cat should have to go through being forced to leave their clan and everyone they love. What the clans did was wrong and they shouldn't be forgiven." Maplebreeze's amber eyes narrowed scornfully as she finished speaking.

Silverflight smiled and replied, "You are still exactly like when you were my apprentice. You are the only cat I know that can hold a grudge this long." Maplebreeze smiled at her former mentor's comment.

"I going to go lay down for a while before we have to trek all the way back to camp." Silverflight got to her paws and stretched, her muscles rippling.

"See you later." Maplebreeze meowed as she watched Silverflight retreat in into the shadows near the wall of the cave and curl up on the damp floor. The golden tabby she-cat yawned as a wave of exhaustion overtook her. _I only got a few hours of sleep. I should get some rest._ The deputy padded over to the cave wall and curled up at the base, her spine pressed up against the cold stone wall. Closing her eyes, she let sleep consume her.

. . .

Maplebreeze's eyelids fluttered and she raised her head. Weak sunlight of early dawn filtered through the cave entrance. Around her, the soft sounds of slumber came from the sleeping cats. A few, their pelts finally dry after the storm the night before, talked in the corner of the cave near the entrance.

Maplebreeze got stiffly to her paws, her muscles aching. She padded softly to the cave entrance, letting her pelt soak up the warm rays of the sun. The golden tabby she-cat was surprised to see a glossy-furred gray she-cat with dark stripes like shadows cast from rock formations at sunhigh. She sat a dozen or so taillengths from the cave entrance, her fluffy tail wrapped around white paws, gazing out at the scenery below. Gazing at her, Maplebreeze thought, _She could be from RiverClan. From what I've heard a lot of RiverClan cats have long sleek pelts and strong paws._

Maplebreeze softly approached the sleek she-cat. "Hi," She meowed quietly.

With a start, the gray she-cat turned her head, "Oh, hi." She replied, blinking tears from her eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Maplebreeze, I'm the deputy of MountainClan. What is your name?" The golden tabby she-cat replied.

"I-I'm Mistyshine of RiverClan." The she-cat sniffed, shaking the last few tears out of her eyes. Turning back to the mountainside, the RiverClan warrior meowed, "It's lovely view."

"Yes, it is. We have a lot of great views up here. The best one is from Pine Ridge, near the peak of the mountain." She commented, gesturing with her tail to the top of the mountain as she settled herself beside the RiverClan warrior.

"What's it like living in MountainClan?" The gray she-cat asked.

"It's great. I love the mountains, the open sky, and harsh wind. The mountains are beautiful and my clan loves it here. We all work together to hunt and provide for the clan. It can be tough with the storms and harsh environment. The winters are long and hard and prey is scarce. But the clan is strong and we all are tough." Maplebreeze replied. "What is life like in RiverClan?"

"RiverClan is great. We are the only clan that clan that can swim and fish. My life is by water, I could never live anywhere else, just like your life is on the mountain." Mistyshine responded. _I don't know what it is about here, but I feel like I have known here since I was a kit. She seems nice, maybe not all clan cats are bad. But that will never excuse what they did to our ancestors. They banished and executed their own clanmates!_ Pushing the dark thoughts to the edge of the mind, Maplebreeze asked, "Why were you crying earlier?"

The gray she-cat sighed and explained, "A band of rogues has risen up against the clans. They have been attacking us for about four moons now and many strong warriors and apprentices have been killed. I-I lost my mate, Otterstep in a battle recently and my son Puddlepaw to a sickness many moons ago. Otterstep...he loved our home. The beautiful river and the beauty of the land around us. He loved exploring and seeing new places. He-." Mistyshine paused for a moment, her voice breaking. "He would have loved this view."

Maplebreeze shifted closer and rested his tail comfortingly on the RiverClan she-cat's shoulder. "I'm sorry about what happened." She murmured, "Otterstep sounds like he was a great cat. I lost my father about six moons ago to sickness. It is really hard."

"Maplebreeze?" A voice sounded behind her and Maplebreeze turned. Stoneshade stood in the entrance of the cave, his gray pelt half in shadow from the cave roof. "Everyone is awake. We should get going."

Maplebreeze nodded, "Okay." The large group of cats gathered at the front of the cave. Stoneshade, Silverflight, and Pinefall stood nearby and looked up as Maplebreeze padded over. "Silverflight and Pinefall, I want you to be at the back of the patrol just in case anyone fall or lags behind." Maplebreeze addressed the MountainClan warriors. "Stoneshade and I will lead the way." The warriors nodded and soon the large group of cats was on their way, trekking up the desolate slope.

A soft breeze blew around them, making the coarse mountain grasses bend and wave like the rolling hills near the mountain where MountainClan called home. The breeze ruffled Maplebreeze's fur and she paused, taking a deep breath and let the cool breeze blow around her. _It's wonderful up here, clear and you can smell anything. I could never live anywhere else._ Opening her eyes again, she glanced back. A long line of cats wound their way down the steep bluff. Squinting, she spotted the glossy-furred Mistyshine trotting next to a mottled dark gray tabby she-cat. She also recognized Dustflame, his tabby fur shining in the sunlight, loping a taillength behind them.

The sun was about half way to sunhigh when the reached the hollow. Maplebreeze paused just outside the camp entrance. _I wonder how the clan is going to react to this. It's not going to be good, many cats don't like the other clans._ Turning back to the group of cats, who had now gathered in a group a fox-length away. Beckoning to Silverflight, Stoneshade, and Pinefall, she padded little ways away.

"The clan isn't probably going to like this," Maplebreeze lowered her voice. "We should tread carefully around this. A lot of the cats will be angry. We should bring them into camp and right to Snowstar." The MountainClan warriors nodded their agreement.

Trotting back to clan cats, Maplebreeze motioned with her tail for them to follow her inside. The boulders that formed the camp entrance opened up into the clearing in the center of the MountainClan camp. Moving out of the way to let the rest of the patrol pass through she sat down on a stone that jutted out of the grassy earth. At the scent of the strange cats, the MountainClan cats poked their heads out of the caves in the cliff that made up the dens.

Nettlewhisker emerged from the warrior's den, his mate Morningfrost at his shoulder. His green eyes widened with surprise and he leaned and whispered something into Morningfrost's ear. The gray and golden she-cat nodded and whispered a reply.

Nightflame, Raindapple, and Brackenstep looked up from where they crouched next to the fresh-kill pile, a half eaten piece of a thrush hanging from Nightflame's mouth. Brackenstep met the golden tabby she-cat's gaze. Who are they and why are they here? His soft yellow eyes seemed to ask. I'll tell you later. Maplebreeze mouthed.

The cats from the four clans stood in a cluster nervously at the edge of the camp. Maplebreeze gazed at the cats standing the clearing, the representatives from the four clans and the MountainClan cats. _Wow, they look so different from us._ The MountainClan cats had short, thick pelts from the harsh cold of the mountains, with tough pads, and muscular and lean bodies. The valley clan cats were all built differently. Mistyshine had a long glossy pelt and strong paws. Dustflame of ShadowClan had a lean but muscular body. From the stories she had heard as a kit, Maplebreeze recognized a pair of broad-shouldered cats that might be from ThunderClan. Two long-legged wiry cats sat near them. _They might be from WindClan. And that longhaired gray she-cat could also be from RiverClan._

A low shriek startled Maplebreeze out of her thoughts. Glancing quickly around her she spotted Gorsestep grappling with a wiry pale gray tom. Breezeclaw, his black and white pelt flashing in the sunlight tussled next to him, his opponent a broad-shouldered ginger tom. Leaping to her paws, Maplebreeze dashed over to the fight, fury shooting through her. _They may have wronged our families but that's no excuse to attack those cats!_

"Hey! Break it up!" Maplebreeze shouted over the noise of the crowd. The MountainClan cats pressed closer, every cat trying to get a good view of the fight. Maplebreeze shouldered her way through the crowd, forcing her way between the cats. Spotting Sagefrost near the batting cats, she pushed her way over to her friend.

"Help me break up the fight!" Maplebreeze called to the ginger warrior. Sagefrost flashed a glanced at her and then nodded. The friends forced their way through the crowd. Gorsestep was locked in battle with the pale gray tom, his left ear torn and spitting blood, but from the scratches on the tom's side Maplebreeze could tell that is was a fair fight.

"Break it up!" Maplebreeze cried for the second time as she pried the brown warrior off the pale gray tom. Taking a quick look at Sagefrost, she saw that her ginger friend's attempts to break up the fight with Breezeclaw and ginger tom were also fruitless. Hooking her claws into Gorsestep's shoulder she managed to haul the pale brown tom off his foe.

"Hey! Let me go!" The pale brown tom spat.

"No!" Maplebreeze retorted. "You are not going to attack our guest in our camp! I expect more out of a MountainClan warrior!" Gorsestep drew his teeth back into a snarl and unsheathed his claws.

"Stop!" A cry rang from across the hollow coming from above and the fighting cats froze. Maplebreeze looked up to see Snowstar crouching on the Tallledge, her furious gaze raking the crowd.

 **Hi, everyone. Here is chapter 3 of my story. I have only gotten one review so far so please review! I think the last part could have been written better, but as a whole, this chapter is a success.**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	5. Chapter 4: Destroyed Territory

**Chapter 4**

Snowstar's fur was bristling angrily as she continued, "Break it up, now." She commanded. "You all are behaving like kits! How dare you attack the other cats in our camp! Silverflight had told me who they are. They are representatives from the four clans and they are our guests. I expect that they will be treated respectfully from now on." At the scolding, Gorsestep, Breezeclaw, and a few other cats looked sheepish. _At least the have the decency to look sorry,_ the golden tabby she-cat snorted.

Addressing Maplebreeze, who had pushed her way to the front of the crowd the gray and white leader meowed, "Maplebreeze please bring them to directly to my den. Gorsestep and Breezeclaw," The gray and white leader fixed her yellow gaze, dark with fury pointedly at the two toms, "I want to talk to you right after." Snowstar finished speaking and leaped gracefully down from the Tallledge. Landing with a soft thump she disappeared into her den beside the ledge, leaving her clan standing in shocked silence.

 _Wow._ Maplebreeze blinked in surprise and shook her head in confusion. _Snowstar's never yelled at our clanmates before and never seemed this angry. But she has every right to. After all, the clan cats just arrived with no warning. I wonder how she is going to react when she finds out that they came here for our help._ Shaking her head, the golden tabby she-cat, headed across the clearing.

The eight clan cats were clumped in a small group at the edge of the clearing, near the stone cliff face. The wiry pale gray tom, that Gorsestep had fought, had long scratches down his flanks. Breezeclaw's opponent, the broad-shouldered ginger tom's ear was torn and bloody, and he was missing several tufts of fur from a shoulder.

"Er-hi," Maplebreeze meowed awkwardly. "Snowstar wants to see you now. Follow me." With a wave of her bushy tail, the MountainClan deputy lead the patrol of clan cats across the hollow. The crowd of MountainClan cats had broken up into two smaller groups, dispersing throughout the camp. Many cats, including Breezeclaw and Gorsestep, shot the valley clan cats dirty looks from where they rested and Maplebreeze returned them with a glare, daring a MountainClan cat to pick another fight. _They may have wronged our ancestors, but the integrity of MountainClan will not be broken because of who they are._

She stopped at the entrance to the MountainClan leader's den. Turning she meowed, "This Snowstar's den. You can wait here while I talk to her and we will be with you all in a moment." Maplebreeze finished and slipped past the lichen tendrils that hung down like a dark curtain over the entrance to the leader's den.

"Snowstar?" Maplebreeze called softly into the depths of the cave.

"Come in," Snowstar answered. Maplebreeze could see her leader's white form sit up in her mossy next.

"The clan cats are outside waiting," Maplebreeze told her leader, her voice concerned. "I just wanted to make sure that you were alright to see them. You have never seemed that upset."

"I'm fine," Snowstar snapped irritably. "Just fine."

"Oh...okay," Maplebreeze said, feeling perplexed. _What is going on with her?_ "I'll tell them to come in." Poking her head out of the cave den, Maplebreeze beckoned to the WindClan, ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan cats to follow her inside. Snowstar had stood up and was waiting near the back of her den. The den felt congested as Maplebreeze pushed past the crowd of clan cats and settled herself beside Snowstar, wrapping her fluffy tail around her paws.

Dustflame sat down at the front of the group of clan cats, his dark tabby pelt like shadows against the dusky cave walls. "A large group of rogues has been attacking the four clans - our clanmates," The ShadowClan warrior began, with a glance at the other valley clan cats. "They have already killed many brave warriors. The leaders of the four clans have sent us to ask you for help in defeating the rogues."

Stepping forward, Mistyshine added, "All of the clans have suffered great losses. We need MountainClan's help to defeat them or all of the clans will die. Please, I have already watched my mate die, I don't want to see the rest of my clan killed." At the RiverClan cat's words, the rest of the patrol murmured their agreement. Maplebreeze could see grief and longing in the RiverClan she-cat's clear blue eyes. _She really is afraid for the life of her clan. They can't be lying,_ Maplebreeze observed.

Glancing at Snowstar, she could see a thoughtful expression on the MountainClan leader's face. _I know what she is going to probably say. Snowstar cares about other cats, but we both know that the safety of MountainClan should come first. Besides, why should we help them since they are the ones that drove our ancestors out to die many seasons ago? And here they are asking for help like they expect us to just forgive and forget. No cat in MountainClan will ever forget what they did to us,_ Maplebreeze thought, anger and frustration rising like a swirling storm in her chest.

After a few more moments of consideration, Snowstar replied, "I will think about it, but I can't promise anything. The safety of my clan will always come first." At her words, the valley clan cats smiled and exchanged hopeful glances. Maplebreeze flashed a peek at her leader in surprise. _Why would she say that? Doesn't she care about what they did to our families? Why should we help them?_

Snowstar leaned over and whispered into Maplebreeze's ear, "I'm going to send them out and Thrushfang will be waiting to get them settled. Can we talk afterward?"

"Sure," Maplebreeeze replied, rising to her paws. The golden tabby she-cat led the clan cats out of Snowstar's den and passed them off to Thrushfang who was sitting patiently a few taillengths away. Nodding to the sandy brown senior warrior, Maplebreeze ducked back inside.

Snowstar had lain down, tucking her white paws under her belly. "Why do you think they came here?" The gray and white leader asked bluntly.

After a moment of thought, Maplebreeze replied, "What I saw in Mistyshine's - that's the RiverClan warrior that spoke - was real fear and grief. There are scars on their sides that show ferocious battles. I don't think they are lying."

Snowstar nodded, "I don't think they are either. Maplebreeze, I don't know what to do. The threat is definitely real, but the safety of MountainClan comes first. If we take warriors to help them we would leave the elders, Brightsong, Bluestream and their kits unprotected. But if we don't help the four clans will die."

"I don't think we should help them as you said the safety of MountainClan comes first. They banished and killed so many innocent cats, our ancestors. Why should we help them?" Maplebreeze finished.

"I agree. We shouldn't risk the lives of our warriors for the valley clans."

"Is that all Snowstar?" Maplebreeze asked. "I should go sort the patrols." The gray and white leader dismissed her deputy with a flick of her tail and Maplebreeze trotted out into the clearing. Thrushfang had settled the valley clan cats in one of the several unused caves that were too small to be used for a den. They tiny crevices in the rock wall was located the far corner of the hollow, where the high stone walls of the MountainClan camp began to slope gradually down. The cats from the four clans were now resting in front of the narrow crevice and many MountainClan warriors eyed them suspiciously from across the camp.

Dewstorm, Raindapple, Cederfall, and Stoneshade sat beneath the Tallledge talking in hushed tones. Dewstorm kept sneaking distrustful glances at the valley cats. As she watched, Thrushfang slipped over to join them. Maplebreeze headed over to a pile of stones at the base of the camp, where she normally sorted the patrols. The sun was almost to sunhigh as she leaped onto the top stone and waited as the MountainClan cats gathered below. Nightflame, Brackenstep, Dawnwing and Sagefrost gathered below as Dewstorm, Raindapple and Stoneshade joined the crowd.

"It's late, so all patrols will have to hurry," Maplebreeze began, addressing the MountainClan warriors as the last few MountainClan cats merged with the throng. "Morningfrost, take Dewstorm, Shimmermist, and Hawkpaw, patrol the Valley Border and the River Border. Brackenstep will lead the second patrol with Sagefrost, Ravenheart, and I. Stoneshade and Thrushfang will lead the hunting patrols. Take a few cats of your choice with you." The MountainClan cats nodded and the patrol leaders collected their cats. Stoneshade, with Fernbreeze, Silverflight, Breezeclaw, and Frostpaw headed out the entrance, Maplebreeze's patrol close behind.

Glancing behind her, Maplebreeze could see Nettlewhisker and Nightflame standing at the edge of the camp, Emberpaw, Lakepaw, and Sorrelpaw lined up in front of them. Nettlewhisker was meowing something to the three new apprentices. _I forgot to say hello to my kits. I'll go be with them the second I come back,_ Maplebreeze promised herself. _StarClan, it's hard with my duties to have time to be with them._

"Missing them?" Brackenstep asked as he trotted beside the deputy.

"Yeah, these days I haven't had any extra time to spend with our kits." Maplebreeze sighed.

"They'll be okay. Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw and Emberpaw know that you are busy." Brackenstep assured her.

"I hope so," Maplebreeze replied. They were traveled down the mountainside toward the valley border and had nearly reached the pine grove. The sun was already on its downward descent as the pine grove came into view. The patrol stopped short at the rise over the pine grove, taking in the shocking sight. Maplebreeze scanned the landscape around them. The storm, the night before had fallen almost the entire grove of trees. They lay strewn all across the bleak mountainside, roots and branches in a tangled mess on the grass covered ground. Only a few pine trees still stood, lonely against the bleak landscape. The entire grove was destroyed. The grove that been there as long as Maplebreeze could remember, the grove that MountainClan cats had hunted and played in for generations.

"Oh, StarClan," Maplebreeze breathed. "What has happened?"

 **Hi everyone here is chapter 4. Hope you liked it!**

 **Claudaujay - Thank you for the advice about the dialogue, I will definitely try it.**

 **Unicorns impale - Thanks!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	6. Chapter 5: News

**Chapter 5**

The patrol gazed down in shock at the destruction below them. There had been storms like this before, but they had never destroyed an entire grove of trees. The stream that had gone through the center of the grove had expanded, its banks swelled with rain. Many of the pine trees had fallen into the brook and now lay half-submerged in the quick-flowing water.

Clouds had gathered in the sky, darkening the heavens. A cool breeze blew ruffling the gnarled branches on the few remaining pine trees. The entire grove was gone, destroyed. The small forest, once having trees numbering fifty or sixty, now, because of the wild storm only ten remained. For many generations, MountainClan cats had hunted and trained in the pine grove. It was a haven of memories in the harsh environment of the mountains. Mentors had brought their new apprentices to train in the grove, apprentices had caught their first prey. Warriors had patrolled and hunted there, elders had lain in the sunlight.

"StarClan," Brackenstep whispered beside her. "I can't believe it's gone." On her other side, Ravenheart and Sagefrost gazed down at the destruction, their eyes full of shock. The storms have been this bad before, but they have never caused this much damage, Maplebreeze though, puzzled. Storms were common in the high mountains and the cats of MountainClan were used to the harsh conditions. They had grown smaller with thick pelts to protect themselves from the cold and tough pads for walking and running across the bare stone.

"We should report this to Snowstar right away," Brackenstep said grimly. "She should know about this."

"We also need to finish the patrol. We can't leave MountainClan's borders unprotected." Sagefrost argued.

"MountainClan will want to know about the pine grove being destroyed. It had many special memories for many cats." Brackenstep huffed angrily. The pine grove was where, one warm starlit evening in mid Greenleaf, Brackenstep had asked Maplebreeze to be his mate and she'd accepted. It had been their special place ever since. _It was our special place like many other cats. I can't believe it's gone,_ Maplebreeze though, feeling tears form in the corners of her eyes.

"We can't leave the borders unprotected," Sagefrost said, sounding exasperated. "What is a fox or another predator came close to camp because we weren't there to stop it?"

Brackenstep opened his mouth to retort when Ravenheart intervened. "What if we hurried and did a quicker patrol than usual. Then headed back to camp to report to Snowstar?" The sleek back tom suggested, looking nervously between the fighting MountainClan cats.

"Good idea, Ravenheart," Maplebreeze said to the younger warrior. "We'll do a quick patrol." Brackenstep and Sagefrost nodded their agreement and the small patrol headed down the bleak mountainside.

The sun was low in the sky as MountainClan cats reached the camp. The gnarled pine trees cast long shadows in the fading light. The tired cats padded slowly though the boulder entrance. The hunting patrols had had already returned and the fresh-kill pile was fully stocked. The MountainClan cats lay in small groups throughout the camp.

The valley clan cats rested near their den,soaking up the last of the sun's rays. Nightflame, Morningfrost, Stoneshade, Thrushfang and Dawnwing sat clustered next to the fresh-kill pile. The five warriors kept glancing distrustfully at the valley clan cats and murmuring to each other. As she watched the valley clan cats shifted uncomfortably and Maplebreeze could tell that they knew the MountainClan cats were talking about them. _I know what it's like to have cats whisper and stare at you. It's not a good feeling._ As she thought about it Maplebreeze remembered how nervous she was when Snowstar had made her deputy almost a year before.

 _Maplebreeze emerged from the warrior's den. The gentle warmness of late Greenleaf swelled around her as she padded toward the sun was already visible above the rim of the hollow and Maplebreeze stretched, letting the arm rays warm her pelt._

 _Snowstar had named her deputy the day before because Cedarfall retired to the elder's den due to a badly injured leg from a fight with rogues that had moved into their territory half a moon before. Silverflight and Thrushfang had been good candidates for deputy and had been a popular choice among the clan. A lot of clan cats had been disappointed when Snowstar chose her over the other candidates._

 _Maplebreeze padded over to the pile of rocks to the left of the Talledge where Cederfall had always organized the patrols. Leaping up onto the highest stone, she waited as the cats gathered below. Nervousness fluttered in her chest, like a hundred butterflies flapping at the same time as she gazed down at her clanmates waiting expectantly below. Their multicolored gazes were all fixed on her and the golden tabby she-cat swallowed, trying to calm the butterflies in her chest._

" _Okay," Maplebreeze meowed nervously. "Dewstorm, take Fernpaw, Sagefrost, and Morningfrost to patrol the River Border and The Peak Border. Nightflame take-"_

" _Uh, Maplebreeze?" Dawnwing asked. "Sagefrost and I were going to take our apprentices to the flatrocks for a training session."_

" _Oh, of course," Maplebreeze meowed. Scanning the crowd, she saw Raindapple and Pinefall sitting at the back. "Take Raindapple and uh, Pinefall instead. Nightflame, take Brackenstep, Morningfrost, and Nettlewhisker. Patrol the Valley Border and the Cliff Border. Gorsestep take Stoneshade, Bluestream, and Duskblaze. Go hunting the forest near the Valley and Cliff Borders-"_

" _Maplebreeze!" Gorestep interrupted rudely. "We need at least five cats to go on a hunting patrol, we need cats to watch out for predators. Unless you'd rather that one of your clanmates got carried off by an eagle-"_

" _Don't talk to my daughter like that." Duskblaze hissed at the younger brown tom, his dark tabby tail lashing."She is now the deputy and deserves respect."_ Oh, StarClan _, Maplebreeze thought._ I can't do this.

 _Taking a deep breath, Maplebreeze continued, "Take Shimmermist as well. Silverflight can lead the other hunting patrol with Thrushfang, Breezeclaw, Dewstorm and Brightsong." Breathing a sigh of relief, Maplebreeze bounded down._ I don't know how Cederfall did this, she thought. I just freeze when other cats stare at me and nobody wants me as deputy.

"Maplebreeze?" Brackenstep's kind voice brought her back to the present. "Do you want to report to Snowstar or should I?"

"I'll do it," Maplebreeze replied and padded across the camp toward Snowstar's den.

"It was irresponsible, immature, disrespectful and all-around foolish," Snowstar's angry voice drifted out of her den as Maplebreeze paused outside. "It was disrespectful to our guests and I expect more out of experienced MountainClan warriors!" The gray and white leader growled. _She must be talking to Breezeclaw and Gorsestep. Those bird-brains. I agree that we shouldn't help them but it doesn't give them cause to attack the other clan cats._

 _Gorsestep is foolish and hotheaded,_ Maplebreeze mused. _But he is surprisingly smart and patient with his apprentice Creekpaw. It's weird that a cat can have two very different sides._

"I will not tolerate two of my warriors attacking guests in my camp," Snowstar was saying. "Go to the elder's ticks and clean out their bedding. This will be your punishment for the next moon."

"But they-" Gorestep protested.

"No buts," Snowstar said sternly. "Unless you want to do a full moon of dawn patrols as well, go." At that, the two warriors dashed hastily at of her den.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," Breezeclaw meowed as he reluctantly headed for the elder's den.

"Uh, hi," She replied. They stood awkwardly facing each other for a moment.

Breezeclaw nodded, "I'd better get to the elders. Bye." The black and white tom padded away, his striped tail drooping. As kits and apprentices Breezeclaw and Maplebreeze were very close and they along with Sagefrost, Bluestream and Pinefall were very close friends. In their fourth moon of apprenticeship, Bluepaw, their younger sister was killed by an eagle. Breezeclaw was deeply saddened and distanced himself for his clanmates. He changed, becoming more quiet and reckless and things between the siblings have never the same. Breezeclaw had never truly recovered and to this day remains distant.

"Snowstar?" Maplebreeze called, sticking her head into the mouth of her leader's den.

"Come in," Her leader's solemn voice echoed from the back of her den as Maplebreeze ducked inside. Snowstar sat in her mossy next at the back of the sandy den. "How was your patrol?" Snowstar asked. The gray and white leader could tell that something was wrong.

"Snowstar, the storm last night destroyed the pine grove," Maplebreeze said, a serious expression on her face. "It is all gone except for a few trees."

Snowstar's eyes widened with surprise at the news and she shook her head, "It's really gone?" Maplebreeze nodded. Snowstar let out a big sigh, "I can't believe it's really gone. That grove meant so much to this clan. I trained there myself as an apprentice. Generations of MountainClan cat's stories were in that grove and it's now gone." Snowstar's eyes darkened as she said gravely. "Is there any other damage?"

Maplebreeze nodded and replied, "There might be, but I haven't checked. The stream that runs through the grove had swollen and it has dragged many trees downstream. The trees cover most of the slope around there and are preventing other plants from growing."

"Would you organize clearing patrols?"

"Of course," Maplebreeze consented. Dipping her head, the golden tabby she-cat headed out of her den. _I can't believe the pine grove is gone. It meant so much to this clan. We need to do our best to make sure trees will grow there again._

 **Hello everyone here is another chapter! It's not very exciting but I hope you like it! I have tried to put more of my characters back stories into this chapter and I think I did a pretty good job. Hope you like it!**

 **ReadingAnimeLover - Thanks, I could use some more elders for ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. Two or three for each. Plase make sure that they are actual warrior names, not names like Lampshine, Giraffefur or Shadowlight.**

 **Flamebolt - thanks, hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	7. Chapter 6: Shaking Stories

**Chapter 6**

The sun filtered through the stone entrance of the warriors den, bordered by two scruffy pine trees. A ray of sunlight rested on Maplebreeze's nest, turning the tips of her fur golden. Blinking open her eyes, Maplebreeze stretched and heaved herself to her paws.

The sun was just visible above the rim of the hollow as Maplebreeze padded out of the warrior's den. A few cats were already awake, a were resting in the early sunlight or helping themselves to fresh-kill. Maplebreeze's belly rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the night before. Helping herself to a starling from the top of the fresh-kill pile, she sat down beside it. As the sun rose in the sky, the camp began to slowly fill with life. Ravenheart and Fernbreeze emerged side by side from the warriors den and sat down together at the edge of the clearing. Bluestream's two moon old kits, Cloudkit, Stormkit, and Applekit came bouncing out of the nursery, Bluestream close behind. The pale gray she-cat looked exhausted, her three kits were only two moons old, but they were already as lively and energized as rabbits. It was all Bluestream and her mate, Stoneshade could do to keep up with them.

The trio of kits raced across the clearing, disappearing into the elder's den. Bluestream followed slowly after her kits and stuck her head into the elder's den. After she meowed something to the cats inside, Blustream turned and headed across the clearing in the direction of Maplebreeze.

"Hey, Bluestream," the young deputy greeted her gray friend.

"Hi," Bluestream replied, sounding as tired as she looked.

"Are the kits giving you trouble again?" Maplebreeze asked, a twinkle in her amber eye.

Bluestream sighed, "Those three are wilder than a pack of fox kits. It's hard to keep up with them. Yesterday, they put thistles in Nightflame's next and the day before they made holes in the pine tree roof of the apprentice's den so they got all wet."

Maplebreeze smiled, "Yeah, my three we crazy as kits. They were always dashing around camp and getting into everything."

Bluestream chuckled softly, "Yeah, Stormkit, Cloudkit, and Applekit are a lot like that. I can't believe that are already two moons old. I remember when they were just a few days old and actually were quiet."

"Those were the peaceful days." Maplebreeze joked and Bluestream smiled.

"What I would give to get out of the nursery, though. I miss going on patrols." Bluestream said, watching enviously as the other warriors gathered around the rocks where the deputies always sorted patrols. A squeal came from the elder's den and the two she-cat's looked up.

"That sounds like Applekit, I'd better go." Bluestream got to her paws and hurried into the elder's den, calling a quick "Bye!"

"See you later!" Maplebreeze called after her friend. _I'd better sort the patrols._ The golden tabby she-cat padded over to the sorting rocks. Bunching her muscles, she bounded to the top and waited as her clanmates gathered below.

"Okay, Raindapple take Dawnwing, Nettlewhisker, and Lakepaw to patrol the Peak Border and the Cliff Border. Sagefrost, take Morningfrost, Dewstorm, and Ravenheart. Patrol the River Border and The Valley Border." The leaders of the border patrols nodded and collected their patrols.

Maplebreeze could see Lakepaw standing nervously in the corner of the clearing, glancing around at the other cats. As Maplebreeze watched, Nettlewhisker padded over to his shy apprentice and put his ginger tail around her gray shoulders and murmured something. Lakepaw nodded and let her mentor lead her over to where Raindapple and Dawnwing. _I'm glad that he is Lakepaw's mentor. They balance each other well. I hope that Nettlewhisker can teach her to believe in herself. Lakepaw will make a great warrior someday,_ Maplebreeze thought.

"Pinefall, Thrushfang," Maplebreeze meowed, turning the crowd. "Chose five or six cats each and go hunting." The patrol leaders nodded and went to collect their cats.

"Uh, Maplebreeze?" Dustflame looked nervous as he stepped forward, the other valley clan cats close behind. "We would like to join some patrols and help pull our weight."

"Oh, okay," Maplebreeze said surprised. "So, uh you and three others can join Thrushfang's and Pinefall's patrols. Yowls of protest came from the MountainClan cats at her words.

"I don't want to go on a hunting patrol with those dirtbags!" Gorsestep yowled from where he stood next to his apprentice Creekpaw and the rest of Thrushfang's patrol. "They may scratch you in the back!"

"We don't trust them! They are from the four clans that killed and banished our ancestors! We shouldn't have to patrol with them!" Dewstorm called. Several other cats nodded in agreement at the senior warrior's words. To Maplebreeze's dismay, most of the MountainClan cats seemed to agree that the valley clan cats shouldn't go on the patrols. _I'm not saying that I don't agree with my clanmates, but the other clan cats should help out around here. We should let them pull their weight and we should show them at least a little respect. What they did was a long time ago and they respect us enough to come and ask for help. But that will never change what they did._

"Snowstar has asked me to organize clearing patrols to clear the pine grove. Six of the valley clan cats can join my patrol along with Silverflight. The rest of you can wait in camp for now." Maplebreeze decided. The MountainClan cats broke up into smaller groups, murmuring disgruntledly to each other.

Maplebreeze twitched her whiskers frustratedly as she leaped down from the stones. The MountainClan patrols trickled slowly out of camp as Maplebreeze gathered her patrol. Mistyshine, her gray tabby companion, and four other clan cats were waiting in a clump near the entrance. Silverflight, her tabby fur shining in the sunlight stood nearby. Nodding to the senior warrior, Maplebreeze lead her patrol down the mountain towards where the pine grove used to stand.

They stopped at the ridge overlooking the pine grove. The sight sent the same shivers down Maplebreeze's spine as she gazed down at the destruction. _It's amazing and terrible what nature can do. I just can't believe what happened to our pine grove._ Pushing away the negative thoughts Maplebreeze meowed, "We should get started. In order to let trees start growing, here again, we need to move everything branch that we can lift. Pair up and start moving the trees into piles to clear the ground." The golden brown tabby she-cat instructed the other cats.

After heading down the hillside, the clan cats paired up and began moving the fallen branches. Silverflight paired up with Mistyshine and Maplebreeze found herself paired with a pretty lithe golden tabby she-cat with white paws.

"Hi," Maplebreeze meowed cautiously. "I'm Maplebreeze."

"Hello," The she-cat responded, her voice guarded. "My name is Meadowpool of WindClan."

"We should probably get moving," Maplebreeze said with a flick of her tail.

"Yeah," Meadowpool nodded. Glancing around, Maplebreeze took in the scene around her. The pairs of cats were dragging trees slowly into piles where the pine grove used to be. The remaining trees rustled gently in the breeze overhead. A smaller pine tree lay near them, its roots half buried in the earth.

"We could drag that one over to a pile," Maplebreeze suggested.

"Sure," Came the reply as the two she-cats headed over to the small pine tree. Digging her claws into the branch, the Maplebreeze gave a heave as Meadowpool pulled from the other side of the trunk. Grunting, Maplebreeze pulled on the tree trunk as Meadowpool tugged from the other side.

"I think it's stuck." Meadowpool meowed.

"Yeah, I don't know how we can get this out," Maplebreeze replied.

"We could try digging," Meadowpool suggested.

"Good idea," Maplebreeze said. The she-cat padded around to where the roots were sticking partly out of the ground. Meadowpool began to skillfully scooping dirt of the dip in the ground and setting it in a pile beside her. Maplebreeze did her best to copy the WindClan she-cat's movements but felt the dirt slipping through her paws. Snorting in frustration, Maplebreeze dug furiously.

"Here, let me show you," Meadowpool said kindly as she appeared beside the golden brown tabby she-cat. Maplebreeze watched as the golden she-cat sheathed her claws and cupped her paws. "Like this."

Maplebreeze retraced her claws and tried digging again. "It's much easier now. Thanks." She replied.

Meadowpool smiled and said, "This reminds me of the stories my grandfather told me. They were about when they clans lived in the old forest. WindClan warriors were split, kind of like the Tribe Of Rushing Water. There were Moor Runners who were responsible for patrolling and hunting above ground. The other group was the Tunnelers, who dug tunnels and hunted beneath the moor. Apprentices who became tunnelers were taught to dig and hunt below ground. But there were tons of cave-ins that killed many tunnelers and the leader at the time, Heatherstar decided that it was too risky and had no more apprentices would train as tunnelers and our clan hasn't had any since."

"Wow, that's cool. I wonder how many old clan traditions have been forgotten." Maplebreeze said. By then, the hole had gotten larger and more of the root were now uncovered.

"Let's give it another heave," Meadowpool suggested and Maplebreeze nodded agreement. The she-cats pulled on the small pine tree again and managed to tug it free. "Wow, It's long!" Meadowpool exclaimed as she examined the root that stretched all the way to the hole in the bare ground. "We don't have trees like that in our territory." They dragged the pine tree to a small pile that was growing rapidly by the minute.

Maplebreeze scanned the clearing. The MountainClan and valley clan cats were working together to pull the fallen pines into piles throughout the grove. Twigs and leaves lay strewn all over the needle-covered earth. The remaining pine trees stood, looking lonely in the sea of twigs and branches.

Meadowpool pointed her tail at a tree a few taillengths away, fallen needles from its branches laying all around the horizontal trunk. "Should we move that one next?"

"Sure," Maplebreeze responded as the she-cats took their places on either side of the gnarled trunk. With a mighty heave the wrenched the roots of the pine tree of the sandy earth, tossing pine needles every which way. The warriors dragged the pine tree across the clearing and let go in front of a pile of twigs and branches. Maplebreeze's claws hurt and her muscles ached as she and Meadowpool paused to catch their breath.

The she-cats sat down side by side, watching the other clan cats work. Mistyshine and Silverflight were dragging a skinny pine tree across the clearing padded with pine needles, towards a large pile of twisted branches sticking out from every side. Other groups of cats were stacking branches or dragging trees across the bare clearing.

Meadowpool sighed quietly. "I miss my family," she said softly.

Maplebreeze blinked in surprise at the WindClan she-cat's strange remark. "You must," she replied.

"Maplebreeze, can I tell you something?" Meadowpool asked, her blue eyes solum.

"Sure," Maplebreeze replied, sensing a serious conversation was about to follow.

With a deep breath, the WindClan she-cat began, "All four clans have been being attacked by a large band of rogues. All of the clans have suffered a great number of losses. WindClan has lost a third of our warriors and all of the cats in WindClan have lost at least one loved one. I-I lost my brother, Stormshade to a skirmish two moons ago. Specklestar, the leader of ThunderClan had heard whispers of a long forgotten clan called MountainClan - your clan." Meadowpool broke off and turned to gaze at Maplebreeze, her blue eyes sorrowful.

Taking another deep breath, Meadowpool continued, "She asked every clan to send two cats to help and look for MountainClan. At first, my leader - Ashstar - wasn't sure that we should send warriors away, but the deputy, Greystorm convinced her and they sent two warriors, Statefoot, who is a senior warrior, and I. ThunderClan sent Cherrycloud and Finchfang. RiverClan sent Mistyshine and Splashpelt. Dustflame and Brindledust went for ShadowClan. We came here for help to defeat the rogues and without help, the clans will die." Meadowpool finished and turned her pleading gaze on Maplebreeze."

Maplebreeze blinked in shock as she let Meadowpool's word settle over her. _StarClan, I can't believe that it's really happened, but she can't be lying. I can't believe that the four clans- the four clans that banished our ancestors- are being attacked by rogues. Cats are dying and they came to us for help. Maybe we should help them. But nothing will ever excuse what they did to our ancestors. But cats are dying, we should help so the four clans don't get wiped out. We need to help the other clans._

 **Hi everyone, here's another chapter! I haven't gotten a lot of reviews so please review!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter**

 **\- Maplebreeeze of MountainClan**


	8. Chapter 7: The Gathering

**Chapter 7**

Meadowpool watched Maplebreeze out of the corners of her eyes as Maplebreeze quietly contemplated what the WindClan she-cat had said. "That's terrible," Maplebreeze meowed sympathetically. "I will talk to Snowstar as soon as we go back to camp."

Meadowpool smiled a little. "Thanks," She said. "We should get back to work."

Maplebreeze nodded agreement and the she-cats stood up and headed across the clearing. The piles were growing steadily larger as the cats continued to drag the trees into the clumps. Most of the pine trees were now lying in the piles, but a few still lay strewn across the clearing, their branches and roots lying in a tangled mess. A long tree lay in the corner of the clearing, it's thin branches jutting out on all sides. Maplebreeze and Meadowpool took their places on each side of the trunk and, digging their teeth into the bark, dragged it across the ground to a large pile.

The sun was sinking low in the sky as Maplebreeze and Meadowpool left the thin pine tree in a pile. Maplebreeze gazed around. Almost all of the trees were in piles now and the flattened area, where the pine grove used to be, was clear. A few young pine trees, with their small green needles still growing, poked up here and there from the needle covered ground.

"Good job, everyone," Maplebreeze called to the other cats. "It is getting late, we should head back to camp." The cats left their trees and the large patrol headed back toward the MountainClan camp.

The afternoon sun beat down harshly, warming Maplebreeze's back as the patrol loped slowly back to the hollow. The patrol entered the boulder pass and dispersed into the camp. The valley clan cats headed over to their temporary den as Silverflight padded over to sit with her mate, Nightflame, by the fresh-kill pile. Scanning the camp, Maplebreeze spotted her gray and white leader padding into her den at the back of the hollow, directly across from the entrance.

Maplebreeze trotted quickly after Snowstar and stopped outside her den. "Snowstar?" Maplebreeze called, ducking her head into the cave. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Snowstar's voice came from in the depths of the den and Maplebreeze padded inside. Snowstar was just sitting down beside her nest.

"What is it?" Snowstar asked, looking concerned at Maplebreeze's serious expression.

"Snowstar, I talked with Meadowpool of WindClan." Maplebreeze began. "She told me about her life in WindClan and about the battles with the rogues. She lost her brother and many other warriors have been killed. I agree with you that it would be risking the lives of our clanmates, but without our help, the clans will die." Maplebreeze finished and Snowstar nodded slowly, her yellow eyes thoughtful.

"Thanks for telling me that, Maplebreeze. I have thought about the situation with the other clans a lot. I still can't decide. I don't want to risk the lives of our warriors for the clans that banished us, but as you said, without our help, the clans will die." Snowstar paused, her eyes darkening. "I don't know what to do." She shook her head gravely.

"I think we should help them," Maplebreeze replied, touching her tail to her leader's shoulder sympathetically.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Snowstar asked, sounding puzzled.

"I still think that it was wrong what they did to our ancestors. I will never forgive them for it. I believe in justice, and even though they killed our relatives, we should help them to make sure that the clans don't get killed." Maplebreeze explained.

Snowstar nodded, taking in what her deputy said. "That could make sense. I will have to think about it some more."

Maplebreeze could sense that Snowstar wanted to be left alone, so she meowed, "I'll go now." Leaving her leader's side, she padded toward the entrance.

"Don't forget that there is a Gathering tonight!" Snowstar called after her deputy.

"Right," Maplebreez replied, turning around. "Will every cat be coming, including the visitors?"

"Yes," came the reply. The golden tabby she-cat walked slowly out of Snowstar's den. The sun was dipping below the horizon, turning the wisps of clouds pink and orange. All of the patrols had returned and the cats of MountainClan were laying in small groups, sharing tongues in the last light of the day.

Brackenstep, Sagefrost, and Fernbreeze lay on the Warmingstones, a small pile of flat rocks between the nursery and the boulder pass, soaking up the last of the sun's rays. "Hey!" She meowed to her mate and friends, trotting quickly over.

"Hey!" Sagefrost meowed. "How was the patrol?"

"It was okay. I met a WindClan cat named Meadowpool." Maplebreeze replied.

"Hi," Brackenstep smiled, bounding over to greet his mate. They touched noses and the padded over to the stones, tails entwined. "Are you okay? You seem upset."

Maplebreeze flashed a quick smile. Brackenstep could always tell if she was upset, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. "I'm okay, I had a talk with Snowstar. It's kind of a private matter, but the clan will hear about it soon enough." Brackenstep nodded. He was used to not being able to talk about some things with Maplebreeze.

"Okay, lovebirds! Come sit down." Sagefrost called playfully. Maplebreeze leaped up onto the lowest stone, Brackenstep close behind her. Sagefrost laid, stretched out lazily on the highest stone, her ginger fur shining in the dying light. Fernbreeze lay on her side on another rock, her pale brown fur outlined in gold. The leader's daughter turned her yellow gaze, so much like her mother's, on the couple and flicked her tail in greeting. Maplebreeze nodded a greeting in return.

"Oh, I'm so glad it's Newleaf!" Sagefrost meowed as she stretched and rolled over, almost falling off of the stone.

"Why? So you can relax in the sun more?" Maplebreeze joked.

"Oh, you know how I like laying in the sun." Sagefrost replied.

"That's because you're a lazy furball." The golden brown she-cat shot back.

Sagefrost green eyes widened with playful surprise. "I can't believe you called me that! I am anything but lazy!" She meowed, pretending to be indignant. At the pale ginger she-cat's expression, Brackenstep, Fernbreeze, and Maplebreeze chuckled in unison.

"I am the most hardworking," Sagefrost went on, straightening up importantly. "I am the fastest runner." She boasted playfully, running a few steps in place. "I am the strongest fighter, quickest hunter, and the highest climber." After each statement, Sagefrost slashed the air, dropped into an exaggerated crouch, then jumped high in the air, pretending to climb a tree.

"You look like a kit boasting to her friends!" Brackenstep chortled as all three cats cracked up. The sun had set by now and dusk had fallen. The moon was just visible over the rim of the hollow, a perfect circle in the dark sky. A cool breeze of early Newleaf blew, ruffling the branches of the pine trees that made the apprentices' and the elders' dens on the other side of the camp.

"That's right, there's a Gathering tonight." Fernbreeze meowed suddenly.

Maplebreeze followed her gaze to the full moon that was slowly rising in the night sky. "Yeah," She agreed. "Snowstar should be calling the gathering patrol soon." As soon as the words left the deputy's mouth, Snowstar ducked out of her den and bounded up onto the Tallledge.

"Let all cats old enough to climb cliffs join beneath the Tallledge for a clan meeting." Snowstar's confident voice rang throughout the stone hollow as her cats settled below. With a flick of her patched tail, the leader began, "Okay, tonight is the Gathering. Everyone will be coming, including the visitors." The was some loud murmuring of disapproval among the MountainClan cats at their leader's words. Snowstar raised her tail for silence, then continued, "Queens, remember to keep your kits close. Apprentices, stay near your mentors. Let's go." Snowstar finished speaking and gracefully leaped down off the Tallledge, striding through the mass of cats toward the entrance of the stone hollow.

Maplebreeze fell in beside Brackenstep, following the large crowd of cats through the boulder pass and out into MountainClan's territory. "Maplebreeze! Brackenstep!" called an excited voice. The pair turned to see their kits bounding toward them, Sorrelpaw in the lead. "Hi!" Sorrelpaw chirped to her parents. "I can't believe it's our first gathering!" She squealed. "Will everyone be there? I can't wait to see the Greatstones! Are they big? Will we get to sit on them?"

Maplebreeze and Brackenstep chuckled at their daughter's excitement. "Yes, everyone in the clan will be there," Maplebreeze replied, answering her kit's first question. "We will sit in the middle of the ring of the Greatstones and Snowstar will sit on one." The small family padded through the territory, along with every cat in MountainClan. The large group of cats headed toward the Peak Border, near the highest peak of their mountain home.

The Greatstones, were MountainClan met every moon for Gatherings, were situated in a dip on the side of the mountain. Five large stones rose from the hillside, their sides worn with age. It was said that this was where, many moons ago, Shimmerstar, the first leader of MountainClan, received her nine lives. It was before the clan had discovered the Moonfalls, a special place where an underground stream fell into a pool in a cave, underneath the mountain's rocky surface. Blossomshade and Birdpaw went there every half-moon to talk with their ancestors.

"Wow! This is really the Greatstones!" Sorrelpaw squeaked, gazing down at the five huge boulders. "Come on!" She called to her siblings, bounding ahead of the other cats. Lakepaw dashed after her, a little unsure but not wanting to be left behind. Emberpaw padded to his mother's side. Of all three littermates, Emberpaw looked most like his mother. He had her long legs and fluffy tail. He had her golden brown coat, except his was patched with streaks of ginger here and there.

"Hey," Maplebreeze meowed to her serious son. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Emberpaw replied. "I can't believe it's already our first Gathering. Sorrelpaw is really excited and Lakepaw had been nervous for ages." Maplebreeze smiled. Emberpaw had always been serious, thoughtful, observant and protective of his sisters. _He was always watchful and had excellent observation skills. He is a lot like my mother, Palewhisker. Always observant and watchful._

"Ow!" Came a cry from down below. Maplebreeze and Emberpaw peered down to see Lakepaw stumble and roll the rest of the way down the slope.

"Lakepaw!" Maplebreeze yowled, bounding hurriedly down the slope, outdistancing the rest of the group. Maplebreeze skidded to a stop, Emberpaw close behind her. Lakepaw lay in a dazed heap at the base of the slope. "Are you okay?" Maplebreeze meowed anxiously, nosing her daughter to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"I-I'm okay." Lakepaw stuttered.

"You two went to fast. You need to be careful." Maplebreeze scolded her daughters. Sorrelpaw came trotting over, "Lakepaw, you clumsy furball. I wanted to be the first ones to reach the Greatstones. Now we won't be." Sorrelpaw complained.

"Sorrelpaw, don't treat your sister that way. You should have kept with the group and near your mentor, like Snowstar told you to. You're lucky that Lakepaw wasn't hurt." Maplebreeze rebuked her.

Sorrelpaw stared unhappily at the ground, "Sorry, Maplebreeze. Sorry, Lakepaw."

"It's okay," Lakepaw replied quietly.

"It's fine. Just be careful next time." Maplebreeze told her. The rest of the clan and the visiting cats had taken their places within the ring of stones. Snowstar crouched and jumped onto one of the boulders, a steep trail worn into its steep sides. The gray and white leader sat down on its top, wrapping her tail around her paws.

The rest of the clan had taken seats within the boundaries of the Greatstones, spread out along the bleak landscape. The valley clan cats sat to the side of the clearing, looking nervous and out of place.

"I'd better get to my place." Maplebreeze meowed and hurried to the base of the stone. Blossomshade and Birdpaw took their places beside her. Maplebreeze meowed a greeting as Snowstar called the Gathering to order.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Snowstar yowled. "Prey has been running well in MountainClan." Snowstar began. "Newleaf has brought plentiful prey to our home and I'm glad that we have such skillful warrior to hunt them. We have three new apprentices, Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw!"

"Sorrelpaw! Lakepaw! Emberpaw! Sorrelpaw! Lakepaw! Emberpaw!" MountainClan cats yowled. Sorrelpaw puffed out her chest and straightened up, from where the stood beside Brackenstep and her siblings. Lakepaw staring at the ground, uncomfortable at all, of the attention. Emberpaw also puffed out his chest, but then leaned down to lick his ruffled chest fur, obviously embarrassed.

The clan finished cheering as Snowstar began to speak again. "I want to congratulate Maplebreeze, Silverflight, Pinefall, and Stoneshade for braving the wild storm a few days ago and bringing the cats from the valley clans here safely." The cats of MountainClan turned and congratulated their clanmates.

"I also want to welcome the visitors to MountainClan," Snowstar went on. "And I have a very important announcement to make." Her words caught every cat in the clearing attention and they turned their attention to her. "We will be going to aid the four clans in their battle." Her words were met with shocked silence as the cats stared up at their leader.

 **Hi, here is the seventh chapter! It took me forever to write so I hope you enjoy it. I loved writing the funny part with Sagefrost, I hope all of you readers like it to.**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	9. Chapter 8: The Journey Begins

**Chapter 8**

 _Wow, I can't believe Snowstar made her decision so soon,_ Maplebreeze thought. Glancing around the clearing she saw her clanmates murmuring angrily to each other. _But I don't think that it was the right time._ The visiting cats looked surprised and happy, they were turning to each other and talking excitedly.

Peering up at Snowstar, Maplebreeze saw her leader sitting calmly on the boulder, despite the chaos below. Dewstorm, Nightflame, and a few other senior warriors were huddles, talking in low tones to each other, casting angry glances at their leader. Maplebreeze sighed. _I knew the clan wouldn't like this,_ She thought. _But we are going to go help the four clans._

"Why should we go to help?" Dewstorm called.

"Yeah! They banished and killed innocent cats!" Gorsestep added, standing up from where he was sitting next to Stoneshade and Bluestream.

"Without our help, the cats will die!" Silverflight stood up as well, her eyes flashing. "Do you want to have the blood of so many cats on your paws?"

"Why should we risk our lives for them?" Gorsestep retorted.

"Yes, but they are also cats like us and without our help they will die!" Cedarfall, the former deputy sprang to his paws and stood shoulder to shoulder with his sister, Silverflight, glaring at Gorsestep across the clearing. "It is our duty as another clan to help the others in times of need. It is written in the warrior code!" The light brown tom pointed out.

"Do you want your clanmates to die because we helped a bunch of ungrateful cats?" Nightflame yowled.

"Do you want the cats to die because we didn't help them?" Brackenstep called. Maplebreeze could sense that this wasn't going to end well. The tension in the clearing was rising. Someone had to step in.

"Why should we help them?" Dewstorm yowled.

"Why shouldn't we?" Brackenstep retorted.

Both sides were getting angrier by the second. "Okay!" Maplebreeze yowled. "That's enough!" Relief flooded through Maplebreeze as the quarreling cats stopped to listen to her. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere."

"That's right." Maplebreeze turned in surprise to see Ripplefeather, one of the oldest cats in the clan step up. The misty gray she-cat raised her chin, "Snowstar is the leader and her word is the law. We will be going to help the other clans."

Maplebreeze dipped her head to the elder she-cat. "Thank you, Ripplefeather." Turning back to the crowd she continued, "We will be going to help the other clan and any cat who doesn't like it can take it up with me."

Ripplefeather sat down disgustedly. "In my day, warriors knew how to behave themselves. Cheeky young cats. Think they know everything." She muttered.

"The Gathering is over. Let's go back to camp." Snowstar's order rang clearly from the boulder as she leaped down and made her way up the slope. Muttering to each other, the cats of MountainClan followed their leader.

The moon was beginning to set as the cats of MountainClan reached their camp. Maplebreeze followed the other warriors into their den and fell asleep quickly, exhausted from all the activity.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough to climb cliffs join beneath the Tallledge for a clan meeting!" Snowstar's voice rang in Maplebreeze's ears as her eyes fluttered open. Weak sunlight of early dawn streamed into the Warrior's den. Maplebreeze yawned and then heaved herself to her paws. Padding out into the clearing she saw her fellow clanmates already gathering in the clearing, many of them blinking sleep out of their eyes.

Once the majority of the clan had gathered, Snowstar announced, "I have chosen the cats who will be coming with me to aid the other clans. Dewstorm, Thrushfang, Nettlewhisker, Morningfrost, Stoneshade, Gorsestep, Brackenstep, Sagefrost, Fernbreeze, Sparrowshade, Hawkpaw, Frostpaw and Birdpaw will be coming. Silverflight will be in charge of the camp and we will be taking Birdpaw in the case of injuries." At her words the MountainClan cats murmured to each other, Maplebreeze couldn't tell whether they agreed or not.

"We will be leaving tomorrow morning." Snowstar continued. "We will leave at dawn. Meeting dismissed." Snowstar finished and leaped down the Tallledge. The meeting broke up as the queens and elders headed back to their dens and the warriors and apprentices gathered around the sorting rocks.

"I can't believe we are going to help them," Gorestep muttered to Breezeclaw, who was standing next to him.

"Yeah, I know," Breezeclaw replied.

"Why should we help them, when they killed and banished innocent cats," Gorestep whispered back. Maplebreeze shook her head and sighed. _I totally agree with them, but without our help, the other clans will die._ Maplebreeze padded away from the two toms and headed for the sorting rocks. The golden brown tabby she-cat bunched her muscles and leaped onto the sorting rocks.

"Okay," Maplebreeze began. "Silverflight, take Gorestep, Creekpaw, Sagefrost and Sparrowshade to the cedar and oak woods. Nettlewhisker take Dawnwing, Brackenstep, Lakepaw and I to Pine Ridge near the top of the mountain. Raindapple take Morningfrost, Breezeclaw, and Frostpaw to patrol the Cliff border and the Peak Border. Dewstorm take Thrushfang, Fernbreeze, and Ravenheart to patrol the Valley Border and the River Border." The patrol leader nodded and gathered their cats. Maplebreeze headed out into the territory with her patrol.

. . .

The sun hung low in the sky as Maplebreeze's patrol returned to the camp, ladened with prey. Maplebreeze dropped her snow hare in the fresh-kill pile and watched Dawnwing and Brackenstep lugged the hawk they had skillfully caught into camp. The hunt had gone well. _The prey is plentiful and the clan is well fed. I'm glad it's Newleaf._ Even her youngest kit had caught something, it was Lakepaw's first catch, a small grouse.

Lakepaw padded into the camp behind her father and aunt, her prey gripped firmly in her mouth. Nettlewhisker, who trotted next to her looked pleased and Maplebreeze caught part of their conversation, "You did well. Go drop your prey in the fresh-kill pile and you can have the rest of the evening off." Lakepaw nodded and dropping her prey, headed for the apprentice's den where Sorrelpaw and Emberpaw, already back from their day of training, were waiting.

The camp was peaceful, Ripplefeather, Volestep, and Hailfrost lay in the sunlight on the Warmingrocks. As she watched, Blossomshade emerged from her den, her muzzle gray with age and clutching a bundle of herbs in her mouth. The tortoiseshell medicine cat trotted across the camp and disappeared into the elder's den. A moment later, Birdpaw also trotted out, heading this time out of the entrance, probably to collect some herbs.

A squeal interpreted Maplebreeze's thoughts and she turned to see Bluestream's kits and Brightsong's kit, Amberkit and Lionkit play fighting outside the nursery while their mothers talked nearby. Nearby, the apprentices lay in front of their den, watching Frostpaw and Creekpaw wrestle together in the dust. Maplebreeze loved watching the goings on at camp. The clan was one huge family and in the evening, everyone was in camp just resting and talking.

"Hey guys," Maplebreeze called to her kits as she trotted over to where they lay.

"Hey, Maplebreeze!" Sorrelpaw chirped, bouncing over to her mother. "Nightflame taught me some battle moves! I learned the Duck-and-Twist and the Front-Paw-Blow!" The tortoiseshell apprentice swiped out her paw in front of her, pretending to bring it down on an enemy's head, in a poor attempt of a Front-Paw-Blow.

Snickers came from the other apprentices and Frostpaw called, "Nice demonstration, Sorrelpaw! You really frightened that imaginary warrior!"

"Go fall off a cliff, Frostpaw!" Sorrelpaw hissed back. "I did it better this morning," Sorrelpaw assured her mother and siblings.

"I caught my first prey earlier," Lakepaw announced. "It was a bird."

"That's great! Congratulations!" Emberpaw congratulated his younger sister.

"I haven't even caught a piece yet!" Sorrelpaw looked crestfallen but sounded genuinely happy for her sister.

"Kits, I have something to tell you," Maplebreeze said quietly. Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw quelled and looked up at her. "As you probably know, from what Snowstar announced this morning, Brackenstep and I will be going on the patrol to help the other clans. You three will be staying here with your mentors and our other clanmates. We should be back in about a moon." Maplebreeze paused, looking down at her kits' expressions, who were a mix of shock, hurt, and sadness.

"Do you have to go?" Lakepaw whimpered.

"I don't want you to leave," Sorrelpaw added.

"Yes, I'm afraid that we do have to go. I love you all. Listen to your mentors, work hard, train hard, and learn a lot. We'll be home before you know it." Maplebreeze assured the three new apprentices. Lakepaw scooted closer to Maplebreeze and rested her small head on her mother's chest. Maplebreeze licked Lakepaw's gray head and rested her tail on the small apprentice's shoulders.

"Will you be okay?" Maplebreeze gazed down at her daughter.

Lakepaw smiled slightly through her tears, "I think I'll be okay."

"I love you all and I will be home soon." Maplebreeze meowed, gazing down at her three kits. Lakepaw backed up, letting Maplebreeze licked her once more on her head and touched noses with Sorrelpaw and Emberpaw. "Goodnight, you three." Maplebreeze murmured as she padded into the warrior's den.

. . .

Maplebreeze woke early before the sun was even visible above the rim of the hollow. The other cats that would be leaving were slowly waking and a few of them had gathered in the clearing. The valley clan cats were already up, and pacing along the clearing anxiously. Maplebreeze stretched and padded out into the hollow. Star still gleamed in the sky, fading quickly as dawn broke. Slowly, the clearing filled as the MountainClan cats woke and said their goodbyes to their clanmates who were staying.

Maplebreeze looked up to see Sorrelpaw bounding over to where she and Brackenstep were standing, her littermates on her tail. The golden tabby she-cat murmured, "I love you all." as she touched noses with them and gave them all a lick on the head.

"I wish you didn't have to go," Lakepaw whispered.

"I'm afraid we do," Maplebreeze replied.

"Be good, all of you," Brackenstep told Sorrelpaw, Emberpaw, and Lakepaw. "Behave, listen to your mentors, learn a lot. We'll be back before you know it."

"It is time to go!" Snowstar's yowl rang through the hollow. "Cats who are coming, follow me and the cats from the valley clans!"

"Goodbye, Maplebreeze and Brackenstep," Sorrelpaw called.

"I love you all!" Maplebreeze shouted back as she followed the large group of clan cats through the entrance and down the mountainside. Turning her head, she gazed back at her three kits, one tortoiseshell and white, one light brown and ginger, one misty gray.

The MountainClan cats and the valley clan cats traveled at a quick pace down the mountain. The sun shone down brightly on their backs as it rose higher in the sky. A cool breeze made the pine trees bend and wave. It was passed sunhigh as they passed the MountainClan border and headed out into unknown territory.

As they reached the bottom of the mountain, the ground evened out into smaller, rolling foothills. They left the harsh grasses and gnarled pine trees of the mountainside. The scare pine trees gave way to plentiful cedars, oaks, maples, and birches.

Eventually, they entered a large forest with towering trees. Branches crisscrossed the sky above them, layers of leaves rustling in the breeze. Small patches of sunlight shone on the forest floor, covered with dried leaves and small bushes. Ferns and bushes dotted the earth here and there.

Maplebreeze's fur prickled uncomfortably as she nervously glanced around and she noticed that many of the MountainClan cats looked nervously as well. The cats of MountainClan were accustomed to open spaces and rough winds. _I hate feeling closed in and caged like this. I miss the openness and freedom of our mountain._

The sun was beginning to set when they finally stopped. They had traveled far and Maplebreeze's muscles ached from the long journey. They stopped in a small ravine between two of the foothills. A small stream skipped down its side and the traveling cats gratefully took long drinks from it. Maplebreeze and the other cats gathered bits of moss and some leaves for nests. Maplebreeze and Brackenstep set their nests at the edge of the ravine, near its walls.

"I hate it in the forest," Maplebreeze whispered to her mate. "I feel closed and caged."

Brackenstep nodded, "Me too. The forest is beautiful, but I prefer the mountainside. The tree's branches block the sky so you can't see the stars and I miss the wind in my fur." Shadows began to lengthen as the sun finished setting. Maplebreeze glanced at the sky, hoping to see the stars, but all she saw was dark tree branches. She couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness, even here among her clanmates. These were different skies, where their warrior ancestors didn't walk.

"Goodnight, Brackenstep," Maplebreeze meowed to her brown mate.

"Goodnight, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep whispered back. Maplebreeze curled up, falling into a dreamless sleep.

 **Hi everyone, I'm back with another chapter! Nothing really exciting happens, but I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	10. Chapter 9: The Twolegplace

**Chapter 9**

Maplebreeze woke early the next morning. It had been a clear night and the moon, a little less than full, and was just beginning to fade, leaving the promise of a clear day. The MountainClan she-cat hadn't slept well, the new place leaving her senses on high alert. She had woken several times due to owls hooting, a breeze rustling leaves, or various other nocturnal creatures walking around in the undergrowth.

Sitting up, Maplebreeze set about grooming her untidy fur from tossing and turning all night. Nearby, Dewstorm and the ginger ThunderClan tom, Finchfang stood guard at each end of the ravine, gazing watchfully out into the forest beyond. Brackenstep still slumbered beside her, his flanks rising and falling gently. To the left of them, the warriors of MountainClan still slept, curled together in one large group. In the dim light Maplebreeze could just make out the forms of the valley clan cats, all huddled together.

As the sky grew lighter, more cats roused and got quietly to their feet, careful not to disturb their sleeping clanmates. "Morning," Brackenstep blinked sleepily.

Maplebreeze looked up from where she sat, grooming her golden brown fur. "Oh, good morning, sleepyhead." Maplebreeze replied with a purr, leaning down to lick her mate around his ears.

"How was your night?" Brackenstep asked standing up and shaking moss and leaves from his light brown pelt.

"It was hard. I woke to just about everything, leaves rustling or other animals making noise out in the forest. This whole forest is weird. I miss the open spaces of our territory and I miss seeing the stars. I feel caged with the trees all around us." Maplebreeze responded.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well either." Brackenstep agreed.

"Hey, guys," Sagefrost meowed. Brackenstep and Maplebreeze turned to see the pale ginger she-cat approach them. Her pale ginger fur stuck up at odd angles with bits of moss stuck to her fur. Sagefrost looked exhausted and her tail drooped.

"Bad night, huh?" Maplebreeze said sympathetically.

Sagefrost nodded, "I woke up several times. The change of scenery makes me alert and I woke to every little noise."

"Yeah, we both had a hard night. I bet the other cats did as well." Maplebreeze remarked. "We probably will be heading off soon. From what I've seen from the views from our mountain, it's a long way."

"I can't believe we're going to see the clans who banished our ancestors. I wonder what they will be like." Sagefrost meowed with a twitch of her whiskers.

"They probably will be nice. They are clan cats after all, who follow the warrior code and hunt and fight just like us. It must be hard to always be on your guard and watching out for rogues who could attack them at any second. I think they must be-."

"Excuse me," Stoneshade interrupted, padded swiftly over. "We are starting to leave again." The pale gray tom announced.

"Oh thanks, Stoneshade," Maplebreeze replied. The older warrior nodded and slipped back into his place in the patrol. While they had been talking the cats had formed and patrol and were beginning to leave the clearing. The three of them hurried to join the large patrol of clan cats. Maplebreeze fell into step with Sagefrost and Brackenstep near the middle of the patrol.

As the clan cats traveled through the forest, the scenery slowly began to change. The trees began to thin and soon they cats emerged from the forest. The tree line stopped and long rolling green hills stretched out as far as they could see. The clan cats paused at the entrance to the woods, gazing out at the fields beyond them. A little way across the field, a large tree-like structure stretched from one end to another. Large black and white creature, making times bigger than the cats, lumbered about within the enclosed part of the field.

"I wonder what those are?" Sagefrost wondered, leaning closer to Maplebreeze.

"I don't know, I've never seen them before," Maplebreeze replied, tilting her head and observing the strange black and white animals.

"Hmm, they are definitely too big to be dogs. They look like the badgers that the elders describe, with their black and white fur, but they are too big." Sagefrost thought aloud.

The patrol started walking again and Maplebreeze and Sagefrost continued watching the strange creatures with curiosity. As they neared the tree-like structure, the black and white animals seemed to notice the cats and a few gathered next to the tree-like structure.

"What is that?" Sparrowshade asked, to no cat, in particular, his dark brown head cocked with curiosity.

Hearing the MountainClan warrior's words, Meadowpool replied, "They're cows. We see them sometimes on WindClan territory and the tree-like structure is a fence that keeps the cows in the same spot."

"Oh," Sparrowshade meowed, looking slightly confused. "Weird."

"So that's what they're called," Maplebreeze murmured.

"They are strange creatures," Sagefrost replied. The clan cats started off again, heading through the pasture. Meadowpool and Slatefoot of WindClan lead the patrol through the fence, their small frames making it easy to slip under. When it was Maplebreeze's turn she realized that the opening under the fence. Bunching her muscles she followed Stoneshade up and over the fence. She scrambles to the top and flung herself ungracefully down to the other side.

When all of the cats had crossed the fence, Meadowpool turned to the other warriors. "The cows are harmless and normally leave us alone, but watch out for their huge and clumsy feet." The clan cats nodded and the large patrol headed across the field. The cows were like Meadowpool had said, they ignored the clan cats and kept to themselves.

"Wow they are certainly strange creatures," Sagefrost remarked to Maplebreeze.

"Yeah, there are many weird creatures," Maplebreeze agreed. A loud whistle interrupted Maplebreeze and startled the large group of cats. A large dog burst through the crowd of cows, drool hanging from its mouth as it sprinted in circles around the cows, seeming to try and corral them into a group.

"Dog!" Frostpaw yowled, her yellow eyes stretched wide with fear.

"Quiet!" Stoneshade ordered. "It hasn't seen us yet!" But it was too late. The dog swung around, it's large yellow eyes wide with excitement. The cats scattered, sprinting toward the fence all around the pasture. Maplebreeze spun around and sprinted in the direction of the closest fence, Sagefrost on her heels.

"How did we not smell it?" Sagefrost asked as they ran.

"It must have been the stench of these cows. It's impossible to smell anything with it." Maplebreeze panted. "Watch out!" Sagefrost skidded to a stop as a stampeding cow lumbered in front of them. Unknowing of the obstacle that caused Sagefrost to stop, Maplebreeze dashed forward making a beeline for the fence.

"Sagefrost?" Maplebreeze asked glancing behind her. "Sagefrost? Sagefrost!" Maplebreeze glanced wildly around at the chaos behind her, but her ginger friend wasn't in sight. Turning around again Maplebreeze dashed in the direction of the fence. The she-cat leaped up onto the fence and flung herself onto the ground on the other side.

Turning around she gazed at the fray behind her. Most of the cats made it to the safety of the fence, but the dog still chased the last few warriors around. Mooing frantically, the cows stampeded around, stirring up clouds of dust.

Birdpaw, her amber eyes frantic, slipped under the fence a few taillengths away. "Birdpaw! Are you alright?" Maplebreeze asked anxiously, looking at the brown medicine cat apprentice. The small she-cat was shivering with fear as she crouched a few taillengths from the fence. Maplebreeze padded over to the apprentice and draped her tail over Birdpaw's shoulders. "Are you okay?" She murmured, concerned.

"It was so scary, I've never seen anything like it," Birdpaw whispered, trembling. "But I think I'll be okay."

"I know, the stampeding cows and the dog were scary. It's okay, you're safe now." Maplebreeze soothed.

The small brown and white she-cat nodded, "Thanks."

"Let's go rejoin the others," Maplebreeze said, leading Birdpaw over to where the other cats were gathering near a thicket of bushes a dozen or so taillengths away from the pasture. Dewstorm broke away from the group and bounded over to Maplebreeze and Birdpaw.

"Thank StarClan you're alright," He said, sounding relieved and giving his daughter a lick around the ears. "I was so worried," Maplebreeze smiled as he gently placed his tail around his daughter's shoulders and lead her back to the group of cats. _Dewstorm is a tough and fierce warrior and it's funny to see his other side, so gentle and caring to his kits._ Maplebreeze padded over to where her clanmates and the other clan cats had assembled.

Snowstar sat on the gnarled roots of an old oak tree, looking authoritative and calm despite the encounter with the dogs, although the fur around her hips was still spiking with fear. Maplebreeze could tell that she was still spooked from the run in with the cows and the dog. "...twenty, twenty-one. Good, everyone's here. Is there any injuries?" Snowstar was saying.

"Morningfrost got bumped by a cow," Nettlewhisker called from the back of the crowd, bending anxiously over his mate Morningfrost who lay on her side on the grassy earth.

"Really, Nettlewhisker. I'm fine." Morningfrost insisted.

"I'll still take a look at you," Birdpaw said, weaving through the crowd of cats. Bending down, the medicine cat apprentice looked the golden and gray she-cat over. "Is it your leg?" Birdpaw asked, gesturing with her paw to Morningfrost's back leg that lay sticking out beside her. Morningfrost nodded yes.

"Can you try moving it?" Birdpaw asked, looking concerned.

Morningfrost moved it back and forth slightly, wincing with pain. "It hurts a lot," she meowed, putting on a brave face. Birdpaw bent down again and nosed the senior warrior.

"Wow. She had learned a lot," Sagefrost said softly as she came up on Maplebreeze's side.

"Yeah," Maplebreeze replied, glancing at her friend. "I'm sorry I lost you in the chaos. I didn't know where you went."

"It's okay. When that cow dashed in front of us, I swerved to avoid it and then I couldn't find you. I'm glad you're safe." Sagefrost responded. The friends padded over to where most of the cats had gathered in a ring around Morningfrost, Nettlewhisker, and Birdpaw.

"I think it's just bruised and it should be fine," Birdpaw was saying. "It will hurt for a day or two. Tell me if it starts to hurt but I'm afraid there isn't anything I can do." Morningfrost nodded as Nettlewhisker leaned down and licked her around her ears.

The patrol set off again, heading in the direction of the lake territories. Maplebreeze trotted next to Sagefrost as they headed along the meadow. The tall grass made long wavy shadows in the light of the setting sun. They stopped for the night in a small grove of birch trees near a small river that cut its way through the meadow. Snowstar sent Thrushfang, Nettlewhisker, Stoneshade, Gorestep, Sagefrost, Brackenstep, Frostpaw, and a few of the valley clan cats off to find prey, while the remainder of the cats gathered strands of grass and feathers for nests.

"Hey!" Sagefrost meowed, bounding over, a pigeon clamped in her teeth.

Maplebreeze looked up from where she was tearing out grass stems and setting them in a pile. "Good hunt?" Maplebreeze asked, gazing at where the other cats were setting their prey down in a makeshift fresh-kill pile.

"Yeah, Nettlewhisker caught a hare, Gorsestep and Brindledust got mice and a bunch of us were able to catch pigeons from a small flock out in the field. I caught the first one, it's nice and fat!" Sagefrost boasted.

"Well, I have to say I'm surprised. You must be such a great hunter to catch such a fat and slow pigeon." Maplebreeze meowed teasingly.

"Oh, well I assure you that I'm a very good hunter," Sagefrost said, pretending to look hurt.

"I beseech you, O great hunter Sagefrost, teach me your ancient ways." Maplebreeze joked, doing a mocking half-bow and the she-cat broke into a chorus of laughter.

"What's going on over here?" Brackenstep meowed, padding over, his light brown tabby head cocked with curiosity.

"Maplebreeze was making fun of me for catching a fat pigeon." Sagefrost chuckled. "I beseech you, O great hunter Sagefrost, teach me your ancient ways," Sagefrost repeated. "I can't believe you actually said that." The she-cat broke into a fit of giggles as Sagefrost finished.

"Okay," Brackenstep meowed, looking still slightly confused. Maplebreeze, Sagefrost, and Brackenstep headed back to where they were camping for the night. The stars shone in the dark sky as Maplebreeze fell asleep curled against Brackenstep, under the crisscrossed branches of the tall white birch trees.

. . .

The sun was just peeking up over the horizon as the patrol of clan cats headed on their way. They continued along the fields and eventually entered the forest again. The sun was nearing its peak as Maplebreeze padded along the sunlight dappled forest floor at the rear of the traveling group. The trees were beginning to thin out and ahead of her she could see where the tree line stopped.

As they emerged, Maplebreeze and the other cats gazed around them. As far as their eyes could see, tall wooden structures stretched many taillengths above their heads. The wooden things were immense, their red, yellow or white sides larger than any cat's den. The wooden structures sat in rows with thin and long plots of hard earth between them. Pungent odors wafted in through the air, smells like moon-old prey and dung, making Maplebreeze wrinkled her nose.

"Eww!" Frostpaw spat. "This place smells disgusting." Hawkpaw and Birdpaw, standing close beside the fluffy white apprentice, nodded their agreement, their pink noses wrinkled in disgust.

"What are those?" Brackenstep wondered out loud, here head cocked, staring at the multicolored wooden structures.

"Oh, their twoleg nests," Mistyshine informed the MountainClan cats. "Twolegs live in them. There is some near RiverClan territory." The patrol of cats stood there awkwardly for a moment, no one quite sure what they should do.

"Where do we need to go next?" Maplebreeze asked Dustflame and Mistyshine, padding up to where they stood at the front of the patrol. They were the oldest warriors on the patrol and had led the clan cats on their return journey. "Should we avoid the Twolegplace?"

The senior warriors glanced at each other for a moment, then Dustflame replied, "Last time, we headed straight through the Twolegplace. I would add an extra day and a half to avoid it."

"Okay," Maplebreeze replied. "Do you know the way?" The senior warriors nodded and led the group into the Twolegplace.

Maplebreeze's pelt prickled with discomfort as they padded through the Twolegplace. The twoleg nests stood much higher than anything Maplebreeze was accustomed to. Their square shapes were unnatural and set Maplebreeze's fur on end. She could tell that the strangeness of the Twolegplace was making the other MountainClan cats nervous. Behind her, Sparrowshade and Fernbreeze padded side by side, their brown fur bristling with anxiety. At the rear of the patrol, Dewstorm and Morningfrost padded, keeping a nervous lookout for danger behind them.

"Keep together and watch out for danger!" Snowstar ordered from the back of the patrol. The patrol padded close together through the Twolegplace, heading through the dark alleyways and deserted streets to avoid the Twolegs. Strange new scents and noises greeted Maplebreeze at every new turn. Her head felt clouded with weird noises and her nose filled to the brim with smells.

The twolegs were everywhere and no matter how hard the cats tried to avoid them, Maplebreeze caught quite a few glimpses of them. They were tall and unnatural looking, standing on two legs. Their faces were pink and blotchy, with only tufts of fur on their heads. They covered their hairless bodies with strange pelts. Maplebreeze found them extremely strange. _They're so strange looking and are so noisy. Everything about this place is weird._

Maplebreeze stepped around a muddy puddle in the center of the fifty alleys. They had been traveling through the twolegplace for several hours now and every cat was dirty and exhausted. The patrol rounded the corner of a twoleg nest and came face to face with a female twoleg and several dogs of all different sizes.

Spotting the cats, the dog's eyes widened with surprise and drool dripped out of their half-open mouth. "Dogs!" Brindledust of ShadowClan yowled from the front of the patrol.

The cats spun around and dashed away into the alley. Eyes wild with excitement, the dog hurtled after them. Maplebreeze's heart pounded in her throat as she raced down the hard earth. Her feet pounded the ground as Maplebreeze swerved to avoid a monster and dashed down another alley. She saw the tip of Nettlewhisker's tail disappear around a nest. She could hear the heavy breathing of the dog and the pounding of its feet as it raced after her. It was coming slowly closer.

 **Hi everyone, it's been a while. Here is an extra long and exciting chapter for you today!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	11. Chapter 10: Ember and Cherry

**Chapter 10**

Maplebreeze's paws pounded the hardened ground as she raced along the dark alleyway. The band of dogs had split, chasing after the clan cats. She skidded around a corner and dashed along another small thunderpath, trying to throw the dog off her trail.

Glancing over her shoulder, the golden brown tabby she-cat spotted the dog, its dark brown fur streaming out behind him, come swinging around the corner. The dog's yellow eyes were wild with excitement as it continued to dash after her. _I've got to get it off my trail!_ Maplebreeze thought frantically.

She swerved again, taking a sharp right into another alley. Maplebreeze leaped to the side, just in time to avoid a large object. _That looks like a monster from the elder's tales! I hope it's not awake!_ Pausing for a second, she glanced behind her at the monster. Luckily, didn't seem to hear her and it's bright yellow eyes didn't open as she turned and sprinted along the dirty alleyway. She dodged around dirty twoleg things that littered the thunderpath.

Maplebreeze raced along the hard earth. Her heart pounded in her throat as she veered around corners of twoleg nests, avoided twolegs, and dashed along more thunderpaths. Maplebreeze rounded a corner and found herself in a new part of the twolegplace. New and fancy twoleg nests stood in neat rows, surrounded by wooden fences with small squares of grass. Flowers of all different colors grew in orderly rows with trees swaying here and there. The scene before her felt unnaturally organized and neat. _I miss our mountain territory. Everything there feels much more natural and wild. I miss the forest, cool wind, and cold streams,_ Maplebreeze thought with a pang.

Twolegs milled here and there, their pink hairless skin only partly covered with their weird pelts due to the warm weather of Newleaf. The pounding of the dog's feet came closer. Maplebreeze glanced behind her. Spotting the dog racing toward her, she shot around the corner and further into the twolegplace.

A young twoleg kit, her yellow fur flying, yelped in surprise as Maplebreeze sprinted passed, the large dog following close behind. An older female twoleg ran up to the younger one, pulling her close. Maplebreeze felt the stares of the twolegs hot against her pelt as she dashed across a large expanse of grass. She veered around a strange structure and continued to run, her golden brown tail streaming behind her. Twolegs clung to the weird structure, its shiny surface covered with many different colors.

 _I wonder what that is?_ _Twolegs seem to be playing on it. Twolegs are always weird._

Maplebreeze thought, glancing behind her. She spotted the dog racing after her as it rounded the twoleg structure. _I really have to get it off my trail!_

Maplebreeze dashed between two twoleg nests and skidded to a half in an alleyway behind the structures. Tall walls rose on all three sides. It's a dead end! I have to get out of here! Maplebreeze turned around, her muscles bunched and ready to sprint just as the dog appeared around the corner of the twoleg nest.

 _I'm trapped!_ Maplebreeze thought frantically. Looking around wildly, she searched for a way out. The walls are too high and there is no paw holds! Turning her attention back to the dog, she back away as it advanced, its teeth bared. Arching her back, Maplebreeze crouched, her lips drawn back in a snarl.

"Get away from me, flea-pelt!" She hissed. "Go! Shoo! If you don't I will flay you!"

The dog paused for a moment, looking slightly confused but the continued lumbering toward her. Her words didn't appear to have any affect on it. _What do I do? I can fight it but it's hopeless. It can break my neck with one bite. I will have to get around it somehow._ The dog drew closer, his yellow teeth bared in a deep snarl erupted from its throat.

 _Make the first move!_ Silverflight, her former mentor's voiced echoed in her ears. Maplebreeze darted forward and lashed out a paw, her sharp claws unsheathed. The dog let out a yelp of pain as she raked her claws across his muzzle. The golden tabby she-cat leaped back, feeling the dog's outstretched forepaw graze her whiskers.

The MountainClan deputy danced back and forth, lashing out at the dog with firm blows. _Duck!_ Silverflight's voice rang through her head as she ducked just in time to avoid the dog's swinging paw. _Roll!_ Maplebreeze obeyed, rolling to the side as the dog swung again. The dog growled in frustration. Maplebreeze turned swiftly and raked her claws down the dog's brown flank.

The dog howled in pain and swung around, pushing Maplebreeze to the ground with a strong paw. Baring its teeth the dog prepared to bite down. _It's going to kill me!_ Maplebreeze thought, struggling frantically. _I can't get free! He's too strong. It's over, he's going to kill me._ Maplebreeze closed her eyes in defeat, feeling tears form in the corners of her eyes.

A fierce yowl split the air and Maplebreeze and the dog looked up in surprise. Two ginger pelts flashed along the rooftops of the twoleg nests. Two cats, their identical sleek ginger pelts flashing in the sun rays that streamed down from the sun on its downward descent sprang down onto the thunderpath.

"Get off her, dirtbag!" The ginger tom spat, padding toward dog from the left.

"Yeah, go run back to your housefolk!" The ginger she-cat, her frame slightly smaller and thinner added with a hiss. The pair of ginger cats walked slowly down the alleyway, their lips pulled back in identical snarls. Maplebreeze could hear the cats coming steadily closer. The pressure from the dog's paw lifted off her neck as it turned to face the ginger cats. Maplebreeze leaped to her paws and shook her ruffled fur. The dog was padded closer to the ginger tom and she-cat, it's head lower and teeth bared.

The ginger cats walked slowly to meet the large pale brown dog. The tom swatted at its nose as his ginger companion slipped around the dog's side and clawed its left flank. The dog growled in frustration as it spun around, trying to catch the ginger cats. The tom and the she-cat swiftly dodged all of its attacks and kept slipping closer to lay a blow on its shoulders or flanks.

 _I should go help,_ Maplebreeze thought, struggling to her paws. Blood spurted from the wound on her neck where the dog had held her down. Maplebreeze felt faint as she staggered and collapsed on the ground, a few taillengths away. Maplebreeze scooted backward, her back pressed up against the dirty wall as the dog fled along the alleyway.

"Yeah, run like the coward you are, mouse-heart!" The ginger tom yowled. "Go back to where you came from!"

"Hey, are you okay?" The ginger she-cat asked, trotting over to where Maplebreeze lay pressed against the twoleg nest wall.

"Yeah, thanks," Maplebreeze said curtly, rising shakily to her feet. "Thanks again, you saved my tail out there. Where did you learn to flight like that?"

"Oh, from a old loner named Hazel." The ginger tom chirped excitedly. "She was pretty old but taught us some really great fighting techniques to help protect ourselves and to deal with fleabags like that dog! She taught us to do the rear-up-and-swipe and the dodge-and-roll and the belly-rake and the-"

"Okay," Maplebreeze cut him off and the ginger tom paused from where he was demonstrating a belly rake and was flat on his back on the dusty earth. "Thanks again, I should really be going." The golden tabby she-cat edged slowly toward the entrance of the alley.

"Wait!" The ginger she-cat called, trotting to Maplebreeze's side. "You're bleeding," The ginger she-cat observed, sniffing Maplebreeze's wound.

"No, I'm fine, really," Maplebreeze insisted.

"No, you're not. Come with us, we can help you." The ginger she-cat replied, draping her tail over Maplebreeze's shoulders. The golden tabby she-cat stepped uncomfortably to the side and shrugged the she-cat's tail off her shoulders.

"Please come with us, you're injured." The ginger tom insisted, looking concerned. "It's the least we can do."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" the ginger she-cat meowed suddenly. "I'm Cherry and this is my brother-"

"Ember," The tom finished. "What's your name?"

"I'm Maplebreeze, deputy of MountainClan," Maplebreeze replied.

"MountainClan. Hmm, I think I've heard it somewhere," Ember said, his head cocked thoughtfully.

"Oh, from the rogue named…" Cherry meowed excitedly.

"Tangle! Right!" Ember answered.

"Yeah, he was a friend of Birch's and always told us stories of a fierce clan in the mountains, called MountainClan. About how they followed a warrior code and did many good deeds. And how, many years ago it was formed by cats who left the other four clans called ThunderClan, WindClan, StreamClan and ShadeClan was it?" Cherry asked her brother.

"RiverClan and ShadowClan," Ember corrected, his tail flicking excitedly.

"Um, excuse me?" Maplebreeze asked, staring at the chatting siblings.

"Oh right, sorry." Cherry apologized. "Follow us, we'll show you where we're going to get help for your wound."

Maplebreeze followed the sibling across the alley and along the thunderpath. These siblings are weird, she thought with a shake of her head. _I hope they know a good way to heal my wound. They seem nice and are really funny. But I don't know if I can trust them. They are kittypets after all._

The cats headed along a thorny hedge with tall branches that bordered a busy thunderpath. The rumble of monsters hit Maplebreeze's ears as they rushed back and forth along the thunderpath. Her head felt like it was full of buzzing bees and her nose filled with the fumes from the monsters. They turned onto a smaller thunderpath where only a few monsters rushed by now and then.

"We're almost there," Ember meowed as they cut through a patch of woods with towering maples and oak, dotted with chestnuts and pines. The tall trees cast long shadows in the late afternoon light. The trio of cats emerged from the forest onto a long stretch of grass with a long expanse of dirt winding through the center of it.

As they rounded a small cluster of trees Maplebreeze spotted a large brown twoleg nest set against a hill four or five tree-lengths away. "What's that? Are we going there?" Maplebreeze asked, surprised.

"Yeah, that where we live with our housefolk, Martha," Cherry mewed. "Come on, she's really nice and can help you!" The ginger cats pulled Maplebreeze toward the tall twoleg nest.

"But I'm a clan cat!" Maplebreeze objected, pulling away. "I don't go in twoleg nests."

"Twoleg nests?" Cherry meowed, a look of confusion on her ginger face. "Oh, you mean our housefolk's den. Don't worry she can heal your wound."

"No, I need a medicine cat, not a twoleg. I'm a clan cat!" Maplebreeze told them. The golden brown tabby she-cat let out a growl of frustration at the confused looks on the sibling's faces. "Clan cats have their own healers called medicine cats. We avoid twolegs at any cost and we never go to them for help."

"Oh," said Ember, still looking slightly perplexed. "Well there aren't any medicine cats here so if we are going to heal your wound, we need to get help from our housefolk, Martha."

"Okay, fine," Maplebreeze sighed, too tired to argue anymore. The ginger siblings led Maplebreeze down the small dirt thunderpath and toward the twoleg nest. The tall twoleg nest seemed to get taller as they got closer. A blue monster was parked in front of it, sitting quietly. Maplebreeze gave it a wide berth as they drew closer.

"It's okay. The monster's sleeping." Ember assured her. The MountainClan deputy nodded and followed the kittypets up a hill-like wooden structure. Ember, who was in the lead slipped through a small leaf-like flap and into the den.

"Go ahead, follow him," Cherry meowed. Maplebreeze ducked and pushed her way through the flap, feeling the smooth surface of the flap slid along her back and she was inside. Maplebreeze moved to the side to let Chery slip inside and surveyed her surroundings. The wooden floor felt strange beneath her paws. Glancing around she saw a row of twoleg paws against one wall. Ahead of her, the den opened up in a wide space. As she followed the siblings further into the den. To her left a soft, fluffy pelt lay on the floor with two soft lumpy structures set on a diagonal on the pelt. Light streamed in from openings on the wall covered by an ice-like thing.

"This is the living room and those are couches, windows, and that is a rug," Cherry meowed, pointing in turn to each of the things. _Huh,_ Maplebreeze thought with a shake of her head. _Twolegs have strange things. All twolegs are weird._

Turning to her right, Maplebreeze saw another large room, this time with the cold floor made of stone and long wooden frames along the walls of the nest. More windows were set into the walls and Maplebreeze could see trees just outside.

A loud thumping came from around the corner and the sharp stench of twoleg hit Maplebreeze's nose. Leaning forward she saw an older female twoleg round the corner and come stomping toward where she stood with Ember and Cherry. Maplebreeze's amber eyes widened and she dashed under a flat slate-like thing, held in the air by four wooden tree things.

Maplebreeze peered out from under the flat stone to see Cherry winding around the old twoleg's legs. A soft rumbling sound came from the ginger kittypet's throat. _She's purring!_ Maplebreeze thought in disgust. _How can she even like it?_ As she watched, unnoticed, the female twoleg bended down and stroked Cherry's back. Maplebreeze half-expected Cherry to pull away, but instead, the ginger she-cat purred even louder. The female twoleg scooped up Ember who was standing a tail-length away and murmured something that Maplebreeze couldn't understand.

"Come on out," Ember called from where he sat in the twoleg's arms. "She needs to see you if she's going to heal you."

"Yeah, It's okay. She will help you, not harm you. Martha's really nice, trust me." Cherry added reassuringly as she padded behind Maplebreeze and pushed her back out into the open.

Spotting her, the twoleg set Ember down on the stone floor and peered at Maplebreeze through half-closed eyes. Tentatively, the twoleg stretched out a pink hairless paw. "Sniff it. Let her know it's okay." Cherry ordered.

Maplebreeze reluctantly obeyed and gave female twoleg's paw a careful sniff. The twoleg's face broke into a wrinkled smile and she scooted forward, running her hand down Maplebreeze back. The golden tabby she-cat was about to pull back when Ember meowed, "Let her pet you. Martha's eyesight isn't the best so this way she will find your wound."

The twoleg sat down beside the MountainClan deputy and continued stroking her fur. _This feels sort of...nice. Her paw is really soft,_ Maplebreeze thought. But at the same time, a voice in her head shrieked, _what are you doing? She's a twoleg and you're a clan cat! Clan cats don't go near twolegs, let alone let them touch them!_

 _Quiet!_ Maplebreeze ordered the voice in her head. _She's helping me with my wound and I will be dead before I can find Birdpaw or another medicine cat!_ The twoleg rumbled something, interrupting Maplebreeze's thoughts. She glanced up to see the female twoleg staring at blood glistening on her hairless paw. She had found Maplebreeze's wound.

The twoleg said something again, her tone sounding worried as she got stiffly to her feet and stomped across the stone floor. Picking up a round object with shiny patches the twoleg tapped on it and then appeared to talk into it.

Maplebreeze, Cherry, and Ember watched as the old female twoleg talked for a few more minutes, then tapped it again and set it down. She walked across the stone floor and disappeared around the corner. The twoleg or Martha as the kittypets called her reappeared holding a leaf-like wrap and a white cylinder.

She rumbled something and beckoned to Maplebreeze and the ginger siblings. "Go on," Cherry gave the MountainClan deputy a little push. The three cats followed the old female twoleg into the living room. Maplebreeze followed Cherry and Ember as they leaped up onto one of the couches.

The female twoleg shooed the ginger cats away and then drew Maplebreeze closer to her legs. _Why am I doing this?_ Maplebreeze thought, feeling herself beginning to panic. _I'm in a twoleg nest accepting help from a twoleg!_

"Hey, it's okay," Cherry soothed touching her tail to Maplebreeze shoulder. Martha cooed softly to Maplebreeze as she dipped the leaf-wrap in the white cylinder thing and then pressed it to Maplebreeze's wound. A cold shock ran through Maplebreeze as the female twoleg began to gently wipe away the blood. Her fur was matted and bloody but soon felt cleaner. After a few minutes, the twoleg dipped another leaf-wrap into Maplebreeze's fur and then tied it around the long scratch.

Maplebreeze leaped down off of the couch, suddenly feeling exhausted after the fight with the dog. Her muscles ached from the chase and her eyes felt heavy with the lack of sleep. The sun had set by then and through the windows in the walls she could make out the warriors of StarClan taking their places in the night sky. But these weren't the stars she was used to and the glittered coldly above her. It was a painful reminder that she was far from her home, in a strange and unforgiving place, heading to help cats that had wronged her ancestors.

"Come on over here, Maplebreeze," Cherry's quiet voice interrupted her thoughts. Maplebreeze turned stiffly, to see the ginger siblings laying down in a wooly nest.

"You can sleep here," Ember told her. Maplebreeze padded over and collapsed, too exhausted to care.

 **Here is another chapter of the** _ **Forgotten Clan!**_ **Please review and tell me what you think of Ember and Cherry!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	12. Chapter 11: Reunited

**Chapter 11**

 _A battle raged furiously around Maplebreeze. She was in a dark forest, with dark trees all around. Black branches crisscrossed the starlit sky. A sharp stench hit the MountainClan deputy's nose, the scent of blood. The sounds and scents of many cats brawling were evident around her. Clouds of dust, kicked up from the fighting cats as they wrestled and slashed at each other in the dark woods. Screams of wounded cats erupted from all around her. Maplebreeze spotted several bodies lying limply on the forest floor. Maplebreeze's amber eyes widened in horror._ Warrior's aren't supposed to kill each other. These cats can't be from the clans!

 _Maplebreeze stumbled and dodged a pair of cats that wrestled on the dusty leaf-covered earth. A skinny bramble colored tom, his left ear torn at the base and mottled pelt matted, pinned a pale golden and white she-cat to the ground, his amber eyes wild with the energy of the battle. He pulled back his lips, revealing rows of yellow stained teeth bared together._

 _The golden she-cat thrashed, unable to free herself from the stronger tom's grip. Blood dripped from a deep scratch down one of her muscular shoulders onto the dusty earth, crisscrossed with shallow scratches from the raging battle. The golden and white she-cat's light green eyes were full of fright as she twisted in vain. Her muzzle had faded scars from many moons ago, and her body was lean and muscular._ She has the build of a warrior, _Maplebreeze mused, watching the battling cats._

" _No!" Maplebreeze shouted, seeing the dark brown tom bend down to bite the she-cat's throat. The golden brown tabby she-cat leaped at the pair, her paws outstretched, ready to barrel the dark brown tom over._

" _No! Warriors don't kill each other for the sake of victory!" Maplebreeze howled furiously._ He is going to kill her! _To her surprise, Maplebreeze fell right through them onto the damp earth._ Why didn't I hit him? Why did I fall right through them? _Maplebreeze thought, puzzled as she whipped around to see the bramble colored tom sink his teeth into the she-cat's neck. The golden and white she-cat thrashed for a moment then lay still, her green eyes staring blankly up at the dark starlit sky._

" _No!" a cat yowled, sprinting up beside the she-cat's body as the bloody bramble colored tom disappeared back into the chaos of the battle. The tom, his bright ginger pelt soaked with blood pushed his nose into the golden and white she-cat's scarred hide._

" _No," the bright ginger tom whimpered as a pale ginger she-cat bounded up beside him, her pelt bloody and ginger tail drooping in exhaustion. "She's dead!" The bright ginger tom mewled, huge tears running down his cheeks. "Right after they killed Oakstorm too."_

That looks like Finchfang of ThunderClan! _Maplebreeze thought, shock rippling through her. As Maplebreeze glanced around her, she saw the battling cats pull apart as more broad-shouldered cats gathered around the dead she-cat._ These ThunderClan cats seem to be fighting other cats! Did this happen in the past? Am I dreaming?

" _StarClan, how many more cats will you take from us?" The she-cat murmured, her sturdy frame shaking with sadness as tears well in her yellow eyes._ Oh StarClan, _Maplebreeze thought._ This battle is a fight with the rogues that are attacking the clans! The fights with the rogues are real, and they need our help.

 _Maplebreeze watched, unnoticed a little ways away, as the ThunderClan cats made a circle the mourning cats. The first rays of the sun appeared over the horizon, warming Maplebreeze's pelt. The golden brown tabby she-cat gazed out over the battlefield. The grass was flattened where the cats had fought, and the fighting cats had crushed several bushes. The rogue's dead still lay on the battlefield, their blood staining the flat earth._

 _Maplebreeze tensed up as a scarred dark gray rogue padded to the circle of mourning cats. A broad-shouldered black and white tom bounded to meet him. They exchanged some heated words and then the black and white tom loped back to the clan cats. The scarred dark gray tom gathered the-the scarred rogues and slipped back into the shadows of the forest, their multi-colored eyes shining with triumph._

"Hey!" A loud voice hissed in Maplebreeze's ear as a paw poked her painfully in one flank. "Wake up!" Maplebreeze's eyes shot open, and her breathing slowed. _It was just a dream. Just a dream,_ she tried to reassure herself and calm her thudding heart. _But it wasn't just a dream; it happened to cats like us. I need to find my clanmates so we can continue our journey._

"You're awake!" The fuzzy face of Cherry came into focus. The thin ginger she-cat was bending over the MountainClan deputy. "You were shouting in your sleep," The kittypet chirped. "Something about 'how warriors aren't supposed to kill,' something, something."

"You were shaking," Ember meowed, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Maplebreeze said briskly. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bad dream." The golden brown tabby she-cat pushed herself to her feet, her shoulder still aching where the wound was just beginning to heal.

"Is your shoulder alright?" Ember asked, nosing her bandaged shoulder.

"It feels okay, it still aches a little," Maplebreeze replied, moving her shoulder back and forth, testing the cut.

"Martha will change the bandage soon. She normally does it once every day. I know from when Cherry cut her leg on a tree branch a few moons ago. The clumsy furball. She hobbled around for a whole quarter moon." Ember told her, smirking at his sister.

"Only because you chased me into it!" Cherry reminded him.

"But you started the game by pushing me off our garden fence and then running away!" Ember smiled.

"Excuse me," Maplebreeze interrupted. When she had their attention, Maplebreeze began, "Thank you both for helping me with my injury and letting me sleep here, but I need to go and find my clanmates." Maplebreeze announced.

"I know you do, but you need to rest while your wound heals," Ember replied.

"My injury will need to be treated, but I'll be alright. The mission I'm on is more important that my injury. Cats will die without my clan's help," Maplebreeze insisted. "A group of cats had been attacking the four clans, and they have been killing cats. The leaders sent two cats each to come to MountainClan and ask for our help. We are traveling to help the clans fight the rogues before they wipe out every cat in the four clans." Maplebreeze told them urgently. Her fluffy golden brown tail lashed with frustration at their blank looks.

"Okay," Ember said, still looking doubtful. "But can you stay at least one more day to let our housefolk change your bandage?"

"Uh, I think-" Maplebreeze began then cut herself off when she saw the disappointed looks on Ember's and Cherry's faces. "Er - I guess one more day wouldn't hurt." She meowed, shifting uncomfortably.

"Great!" Cherry chirped. "We can show you around! Come on; we'll give you a tour." The ginger she-cat beckoned Maplebreeze with her sleek tail. "This is the living room - as you know," Cherry announced. Maplebreeze limped after her, favoring her wounded leg. Ember and Cherry showed her through the twoleg den.

"...and this is our garden." Cherry meowed proudly. A white fence circled a wide expanse of grass. Trees cast cool shadows that shaded the lush lawn. Flowers of all different colors are along the wall, some winding up the posts. The sun shone down through millions of leaves, creating lacy shadows on the fresh green grass that was soft under Maplebreeze's paws. Ferns and shrubs waved gently in a breeze that stirred the tips of the cat's fur.

"It's beautiful," Maplebreeze breathed.

"I know," Cherry grinned. "It's my favorite spot in our whole home." Maplebreeze bounded across the yard and scrambled ungainly up onto the white fence. A thick tangle of trees surrounded the garden and through them Maplebreeze spotted a stream wind through the forest. She leaped down and bounded toward its gurgling banks. The MountainClan deputy leaned down, lapping at the cold water. The coldness of the water ran across her tongue, and an image of her mountain home, with the tall snowy peaks, bare stones, and twisted pines sparked in her mind. _I miss my home so much._

Maplebreeze lay in a pool of sunlight on the soft grass in the center of the garden. The sunlight of late afternoon warmed her pelt, soothing her sore muscles. She had rested in the backyard for most of the day, gathering her strength for the long journey ahead. The remains of a water vole lay at her paws that she had caught earlier by the banks of the stream. She had sent out Cherry and Ember to see if they could locate her clanmates and the other cats from the four clans. _I miss my home and my clanmates. I hope I will be able to find them. I don't know what our journey has in store or even if we're going to be able to help them._

"Hey, Maplebreeze!" Cherry's excited voice interrupted her thoughts as the ginger she-cat bounded over to her.

"Did you find any of my clanmates?" Maplebreeze asked anxiously, getting to her feet.

"Yes and no," Cherry replied. "I didn't find any of them myself, but a friend of mine named Shimmer - she's a great hunter by the way. One time she was stalking a finch when it -"

"Get to the point!" Maplebreeze snapped impatiently.

"Okay!" Cherry meowed, looking startled at Maplebreeze's outburst. "Shimmer told me that she saw a group of cats near where she lives on the outskirts of town. Five cats, I believe, a huge dark brown and gray tabby tom, a pale ginger she-cat, a bright ginger tom, a younger long-haired white she-cat and a gray she-cat with black streaks, I think. They stopped and asked if she had seen any other cats that looked lost. She said that-"

"That sounds like Dewstorm, Sagefrost, Frostpaw, Mistyshine, and Finchfang!" Maplebreeze burst out. She had been standing quietly while Cherry was talking, with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Really?" Cherry asked. "That's great; we might be able to find them!"

"Maplebreeze!" Ember called, bounding down the face and racing across the garden. "I know where you're clanmates are!" He announced, skidding to a stop.

"Really?" Maplebreeze leaped forward eagerly.

Ember skidded to a stop, breathing heavily. "I spoke to a bunch of cats with no luck. The I saw to Blizzard. He's an old loner who lives in the park near the edge of town. He told me that he chased off two cats yesterday, a gray and white she-cat and a dark brown tabby tom. The she-cat was limping, and it looked like her leg was injured."

"You're sure the she-cat was injured," Maplebreeze questioned him, slight panic entering her voice. Ember nodded, looking confused. "Oh StarClan," Maplebreeze breathed, closing her eyes.

"What is it?" Ember asked anxiously.

"The injured gray and white she-cat is my leader - Snowstar. StarClan, I hope she's alright." Maplebreeze whispered gravely.

"We'll look for her first thing tomorrow," Cherry promised, sensing Maplebreeze's urgency to find her clanmates. "Did Martha replace your bandage?"

"Yes," Maplebreeze replied. The three cats headed across the garden, over the fence and into Cherry's and Ember's home.

"We'll find your clanmates," Ember reassured Maplebreeze, draping his ginger tail over the she-cat's shoulders.

The trio of cats had left early the next morning before the sun had even risen. The sky was just beginning to brighten as they headed along the busy thunderpath and further into the twolegplace. The sky was overcast and dark, the clouds covering it for as far as she could see. Maplebreeze padded along the side of hard thunderpath between Ember and Cherry, lost in thought.

 _I hope we can find me clanmates and the other clan cats. I don't know what to do if we don't,_ Maplebreeze worried. _I hope Snowstar is alright and didn't lose a life from the dogs. I wish one of our warriors was with her, not that Dustflame from ShadowClan_. Maplebreeze felt worried and anxious about her clanmates. _Much like the color of the sky,_ she mused. _Stormy and cloudy,_ dark and worried.

Her shoulder and neck were still a little sore, and it throbbed a little as she walked. The wound was closed and healing nicely. Ember had been worried that it would open again, but Maplebreeze assured him that she would get it treated by Birdpaw, the apprentice medicine cat.

They turned onto another thunderpath; this one cracked and gray with age, with weeds poking up here and there. Old and run-down twoleg nests lined the road, and bottles and cans littered the streets. "Is this where Shimmer saw the five clan cats?" Maplebreeze asked, wrinkling her nose at the stench.

"It should be the next street over," Cherry replied, looking around. They headed down the small thunderpath, careful to avoid the litter that was strewn all across the road. A few twolegs wandered around, but it was easy for the three cats to avoid them. After a few more tree-lengths, they turned a corner onto another abandoned street.

Maplebreeze immediately put her nose to the ground and began sniffing. Amongst the scents of twoleg garbage, monsters and prey she could smell a faint scent of clan cats. She could smell her friend, Sagefrost, Dewstorm, and Frostpaw as well as RiverClan and ThunderClan. The scents are probably from Mistyshine and Finchfang.

Out loud she said, "I can smell my clanmates and other clan cats. It's faint, but they passed by here. I'll see if I can track them."

"You can smell them under all of those other scents?" Cherry asked, looking impressed.

"Yeah," Maplebreeze meowed. "Every cat in the clans can identify each of their clanmates by scent as well as the other clan's scents. Even kits. I don't have the best nose, but many cats in my clan have especially good noses. I have heard that ThunderClan cats are also excellent trackers."

"Wow," Cherry said, fascinated.

"Here sniff the ground right here," The golden tabby she-cat meowed, gesturing to the spot she had smelled her clanmates scents. "See if you can smell a pine and fresh air scent, like me."

Cherry sniffed the ground and after a moment, then said enthusiastically, "Yeah, I can smell the scents!" Maplebreeze grinned and the three cats and trudged along the dirty thunderpath. Maplebreeze followed the scents of the other clan cats along the thunderpath and toward the woods surrounding the twolegplace. She lost the scent trail a few times but found it again after a little searching.

The trail was growing steadily stronger, and Maplebreeze could sense that they were getting closer. The sun was halfway to sunhigh as they left the dirty thunderpaths of the twolegplace and entered a green forest. Maplebreeze could see the green fields where they had first run into the cows. The sky was darkening and in the distance, Maplebreeze could hear a faint rumble of thunder. The branches bent and waved in the wind as the storm drew closer.

"The scents are getting stronger," Maplebreeze announced. "They're probably around here somewhere." The cat spread out, scoured the forest for a while. They searched through clumps of oak and maple trees and small dips in the woods floor. Maplebreeze rounded a row of trees and spotted a stretch of brambles. She could smell the strong scent of clan cats.

 _Are they in there?_ Maplebreeze wondered, bounding eagerly forward, her paws crunching on the dried leaves.

"Hello?" A cat called, sticking their head out of a small hole in the patch of brambles. "Who's there?"

"Sagefrost!" Maplebreeze called in almost disbelief, bounding toward her pale ginger friend.

"Maplebreeze!" Sagefrost yowled, her face lighting up. The she-cats skidded to a stop in front of each other and touched noses. "What happened to you? Did the dog injure you? How did you find us?" Sagefrost asked, overjoyed.

"First of all, I'm glad you're safe," Maplebreeze purred. "Second of all, one of the dogs chased me and trapped me in an alley in the twolegplace. Luckily, two kittypets, a brother, and sister named Ember and Cherry rescued me and helped me treat the wound. The dog scratched me on my neck and shoulder."

"Wait, kittypets save you?" Sagefrost asked, looking confused. "I thought all kittypets were fat and lazy."

"Not all of them are," An amused voice said from behind them. Maplebreeze turned to see Cherry and Ember standing a tree-length away under a birch tree. "I see you found you clanmates," Cherry went on. "I knew you would."

"Hey, Cherry, Ember! Come on over here. I want you to meet my friend and fellow MountainClan warrior, Sagefrost." The two ginger cats padded over and exchanged awkward greetings. Neither of the three knew what to make of each other.

By then, the other clan cats had heard them and came out of the bramble den. Maplebreeze exchanged warm greetings with Dewstorm and Mistyshine. Even Frostpaw, who was typically haughty and aloof, looked happy to see her. After meowing a greeting to Finchfang of ThunderClan, she was surprised to see that Thrushfang, Fernbreeze, and Meadowpool of WindClan had found them.

After she had exchanged greetings with the new cats, Maplebreeze felt a tail tap her on the shoulder. It was Cherry, looking somber. That look doesn't suit her, Maplebreeze thought.

"I believe it's time for us to go," Cherry meowed, subdued.

"Yes, I know," Maplebreeze replied, her voice soft with wistfulness.

"Come and see us sometime, please," Cherry asked, a sad smile on her face. "You know where to find us."

"I will," Maplebreeeze promised. "I will try on the way back home from our mission, but I don't know when that will be." Cherry nodded, and the she-cats touched noses. Ember and Maplebreeze said quiet goodbyes and they also touched noses. The golden tabby she-cat watched sorrowfully as the siblings trudged slowly through the forest and disappeared.

The clan cats hunted for a while and then headed into the bramble den to sleep as the sun was setting and the first stars were appearing in the night sky.

 **Hi everyone, I'm a back with another chapter! I haven't gotten any reviews for a while so please review and tell me what you think. Please read and review.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	13. Chapter 12: Still Searching

**Chapter 12**

Over the next few days, the clan cats continued to scour the streets in search of their still missing clanmates. On one of the better days, a search patrol consisting of Sagefrost, Thrushfang, and Mistyshine, was able to find Nettlewhisker, Morningfrost, Splashpelt of RiverClan and Hawkpaw near the park where they had first seen the dogs. Search patrols headed out early every morning and came back late, empty-handed, hungry and paw-sore. A few a quarter moon of searching, they clan cats were able to track down most of the clan cats. Only Brackenstep, Cherrycloud, Dustflame, and Snowstar had not been found.

"I lost Brackenstep's scent trail," Sagefrost meowed her voice urgent and her nose to the hard cement ground.

"Keep trying, it's probably around here somewhere," Maplebreeze replied, starting to search for the lost scent. They were in one of the old alleyways in the outskirts of the city, following Brackenstep's and Cherrycloud's scent trails. The last golden rays of the sun were fading fast, slipping behind the large brick buildings. Dusk had fallen over the twolegplace covering the twoleg nests in a thick cloud of darkness.

"It's getting dark, we should head back soon," Sagefrost remarked, raising her head and gazing up at the darkening sky.

"I'm not giving up just yet, I need to know Brackenstep is okay," Maplebreeze replied determinedly.

"Okay, but if it's totally dark and we haven't found him, we should head back, alright?" Sagefrost asked.

"Alright," Maplebreeze agreed reluctantly. They hunted through the twolegplace for a while more, combing along each thunderpath for the scents. As the night went on, Maplebreeze grew continuously more frustrated and impatient, trying to find the scent trail.

"Where could they have gone?" Maplebreeze growled impatiently. "Where is that scent trail?"

"We'll find it," Sagefrost assured her golden tabby friend, although she didn't sound too convinced herself. "Let's go back to where we first lost the scent trail." The she-cats padded back along the dingy alleyway and turned the corner into another of the maze-like thunderpaths.

After a few more turns, Sagefrost meowed, "I think this is the spot. Let's spread out and try to find that scent trail." The she-cats scanned the thunderpath, their noses to the ground, hunting for the scent trail.

"Maplebreeze? Sagefrost?" An uncertain voice called, inquiringly from the corner of the dim alleyway.

The MountainClan warriors turned, squinting to trying to make out the figures that stood by the edge between the two thunderpaths. "Who's there?" Sagefrost called out warily.

"Brackenstep and Cherrycloud," The soft reply came from out of the darkness. _Brackenstep! Did we find them?_ Maplebreeze thought hopefully. Maplebreeze and Sagefrost padded cautiously closer to the pair of cats. Maplebreeze peered through the darkness, trying to see her mate. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out the lithe shape of her partner, and she could smell the fresh scent of wind and pines, MountainClan's scent, under layers of crow-food and twolegs.

"Brackenstep!" Maplebreeze called joyfully, racing up the thunderpath to her mate's side. The two of them touch noses and then twined their tail together. "I'm so glad we found you. We looked everywhere for you." Maplebreeze meowed. "What happened to you?"

"When the dogs chased us, I got separated from the group, and Cherrycloud and I ended up in a part of the twolegplace with neat dens in rows with small gardens. We wandered around for a while and tried to find our clanmates." Brackenstep told her. "We went back to where we were first separated and were have been trying to find all of you since."

"I was chased and cornered by one of the dogs and cornered in an alley," Maplebreeze meowed. "The dog attacked and eventually pinned me but luckily two kittypets, with an extraordinary talent for fighting came to make rescue and helped me with my wound. I spent two days their twoleg nest and then they helped me find Dewstorm, Frostpaw, Sagefrost, Fernbreeze, Mistyshine, Finchfang, Meadowpool and Thrushfang. We have been staying in a bramble den in the forest, and we have been searching for all of you for a few days now."

"We have found every cat but you, Cherrycloud, Dustflame, and Snowstar," Maplebreeze told him, her voice worried. "When Cherry and Ember went out looking for out clanmates, they talked to their friends here in the twolegplace, and one of them told Ember that she had seen cats looking like Snowstar and Dustflame near a park at the edge of the twolegplace. Snowstar was injured."

"You still haven't found them?" Brackenstep said anxiously. Maplebreeze shook her head gravely.

"We have been searching for days now, but we haven't been able to find a trace of them," Sagefrost mewed, sounding perturbed.

"It's getting late, should we go back to the temporary camp?" Cherrycloud's quiet voice came from a few tail-lengths away.

"Yeah, we should head back. The moon is already rising, and it's quite late. Sagefrost and I can show you two the way." The golden tabby she-cat meowed, gazing at the pitch-black sky where the moon was just visible over a row of twoleg dens. The silver-white moon was a crescent in the starlit sky, but still bright enough to cast long shadows from the twoleg dens.

Maplebreeze let Sagefrost take the lead as they headed back through the winding street of the twolegplace. She fell into step with Brackenstep at the rear of the group. The fresh mid-Newleaf air drifted around them on a gentle breeze that blew scents from all over the twolegplace. Maplebreeze wrinkled her nose as the smell of twoleg waste reached it. Maplebreeze watched as the ginger tip of the senior warrior's tail disappeared around the large wooden corner of a twoleg den.

Watching the ginger she-cat pad ahead of her as she and Brackenstep turned the corner jogged a half-forgotten memory. _She looks a lot like the ginger she-cat from my dream almost a quarter moon ago now of a battle with rogues. Should I ask her if it happened? I was pretty sure then and now, seeing her again, I think so. She looks exactly like the she-cat from my dream of the battle. What happened there? How many cats have died? Are there that many rogues?_ The questions raced through Maplebreeze's mind as the left the hard cement thunderpaths of the twolegplace and entered the dim forest. Brackenstep padded softly beside her, lost in his thoughts.

Maplebreeze glanced at her mate and felt a rush of happiness. She had missed him and had searched for the past few days, taking every opportunity to look for him and hoping with the every return of a search patrol that she would see his kind ginger face. Now, they had found each other, and as soon as Snowstar and Dustflame were located, they would continue on their way, heading toward the four clans.

It was almost moonhigh by the time they reached the makeshift camp. The clan cats had waved together brambles and vines made a second den, as the first one had long been filled to the brim with cats. The MountainClan, ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan cats were all deep in slumber and only the guards, Nettlewhisker and Splashpelt, that stood vigilantly on either side of the camp, noticed their arrival.

Nettlewhisker greeted his son, Brackenstep joyfully before returning to his post. On the other end of the camp, Splashpelt of RiverClan acknowledged the returning patrol with a nod and whispered, 'Welcome' to Brackenstep and Cherrycloud before turning her attention back to the surrounding woods.

"How has the night been so far?" Maplebreeze asked, trotting over to Nettlewhisker. "Any disturbances?"

"No, nothing. The night has been quiet and peaceful so far." Nettlewhisker reported, dipping his head to the MountainClan deputy.

"Good, let Frostpaw and Morningfrost relieve you too at moonhigh." Maplebreeze instructed the senior warrior. Since Snowstar wasn't there and as the highest ranking cat, Maplebreeze had taken the job of sorting the search and hunting patrol and organizing who would keep watch. The MountainClan cats accepted her job without a question because they were used to taking order from the golden brown she-cat, although some grumbling and protest came from the other clan cats. But they had quickly realized that she was the most experienced cat with the duties of a deputy and eventually accepted her orders without complaint.

"I will." As Maplebreeze turned to leave, the ginger and white tom called after her, "Thank you for finding and bringing back Brackenstep. I know how much he means to you, and he means a lot to Morningfrost and me."

"You're welcome," Maplebreeze smiled. "I don't know what I would do if we didn't find him." The golden tabby she-cat turned to see Brackenstep waiting for her a few tail-lengths away. Near the dens, Sagefrost was helping Cherrycloud gather some grass and ferns for the ThunderClan warrior's nest.

 _I should ask her now when I have the chance, and other cats can't overhear us. They would probably think it's mouse-brained that a dream I had really happened. Only medicine cats are supposed to have dreams like that._ "Cherrycloud?" Maplebreeze asked, trotting over to where the ThunderClan was gathering ferns. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure," Cherrycloud nodded, loping after the golden brown tabby she-cat. Maplebreeze led them around the line of trees that surrounded the camp and into a clump of ferns. "What is it?" The ginger she-cat asked, looking curiously at Maplebreeze.

"I had a dream about a quarter moon ago about a battle of cats. I am pretty sure that it was between the rogues and ThunderClan cats." Maplebreeze started.

Cherrycloud replied, "Yeah, there has been a lot of skirmishes with the rogues. Do you want to know which battle is was? I might be able to figure it out if you can tell me what happened or any characteristics of the battlefield."

Maplebreeze nodded and began, "My dream was in a clearing in the forest. It was dark out, but the sky was getting light, so it was almost dawn. I saw two cats fighting, one of them was a ginger and white she-cat with green eyes, she looked like a ThunderClan cat. A rogue had pinned her down and killed her. I saw a group of cats gather around the she-cat, including you and a dark brown tabby tom."

At her words, Cherrycloud looked stunned for a moment and then closed her eyes and murmured, "Oh, StarClan." After a moment, Cherrycloud opened her amber eyes and whispered, "Yes, I remember that battle now. It was about two moons ago now. The rogues had been attacking us for about two moons then, and we had made sure to send unusually large patrol because we could be attacked at any moment." Cherrycloud paused and drew in a shaky breath before continuing.

"I remember heading out with my mate, Molefoot - that's the dark brown tabby tom you saw - on patrol. We were both still a little shook up because our remaining son, Oakstorm had been killed on a half moon before. We were on patrol with our-"

"What happened to your other son?" Maplebreeze interrupted leaning closer to Cherrycloud.

"My other son's name was Crowpaw, and he died because of greencough two leaf-bares ago," Cherrycloud told her, her voice soft with heartache. Sniffing, Cherrycloud put on a brave face and continued, "We were on patrol with Brightshine, our daughter, along with my apprentice, Skypaw, and Bouldertail, who is one of the youngest warriors in ThunderClan and Spiderleap, our deputy. The rogues had been attacking so much, so we had started having midnight patrols."

"The moon was just setting as we had just finished patrolling the lakeside and we were heading up along the WindClan border when the rogues came out of nowhere. The battle was long and bloody. As the patrol leader, I sent Skypaw back for help, and she brought back another patrol of cats, but even with them, we were still greatly outnumbered. The battle lasted for hours and finally when dawn broke, I discovered that-" Cherrycloud broke off as tears welled in her amber eyes.

"-Brightshine had been killed by a bramble colored rogue just as the first rays of the sun appeared." Maplebreeze finished. At Cherrycloud's surprised look, Maplebreeze meowed gravely, "Yes, I saw Brightshine's death. And I saw you and Molefoot and the other ThunderClan cats gather around her body."

"Yes, what you saw was correct, Molefoot and I were shocked and devastated that Brightshine was dead. Practically him. Molefoot always wanted kits and was overjoyed when I finally had them. He grieved hard when Crowpaw and then Oakstorm died. He is still heartsick over Brightshine, and so am I. D-did she suffer at all?" Cherrycloud asked, with the concern of a grieving mother.

"No," Maplebreeze replied, shaking her head slowly. "The bramble colored rogue killed her quickly."

"You know the rest of the battle, you saw it in your dream," Cherrycloud whispered.

"Have you lost any more cats?" Maplebreeze asked. "When did the rogues start attacking the clans? Are all the battles like that?"

Cherrycloud let out a small chuckle but quickly grew somber again. "You certainly have a lot of questions." She remarked. "Our clan has lost three warriors, Brightshine, my daughter, Oakstorm, my son, and Timberstep, a senior warrior. Most of the clans have lost three or four cats. As for you second question, the rogues started attacking us about five moons ago. Not all of the battles are as fierce as that. Most of the time, the rogues just attack a small patrol, as if for fun. The clans are beaten down by the continuous rogue attacks, and they keep getting more frequent."

"Thank you for telling me all this," Maplebreeze said. "It's after moonhigh already, we should probably get to sleep." Cherrycloud nodded and the she-cats padded out of the clump of ferns and into the pitch-black camp.

Brackenstep was sitting outside one of the bramble dens, waiting as Maplebreeze trotted over to him, Cherrycloud on her tail. The MountainClan warriors touched noses as Cherrycloud slipped around them and into the den.

"What took you so long?" Brackenstep asked.

"Tell you in-" Maplebreeze paused as she yawned widely. "the morning." She muttered and pushed passed him into the bramble den. Curling up, she fell asleep immediately.

. . .

"We can't just leave them behind!" Thrushfang disagreed. "You would leave your clanmates behind?"

"No, but what good will it do if all of our clanmates die while we're waiting?" Brindedust of ShadowClan growled in response, her pale brown striped tail lashing on the dusty earth of the bramble den.

"Snowstar is our leader, and she is possibly injured. She may dying out there while we sit in here, arguing. We should stay and continue looking." Nettlewhisker said exasperatedly from where he sat on the other side of the circle of the senior warriors from the patrol.

"But cats could die while we're stuck here!" Slatefoot shot back.

"We should have never come. I knew this would happen." Dewstorm grumbled, rolling his eyes. The senior warriors along with Maplebreeze, from all five clans, had gathered in one of the bramble dens, trying to decide what to do about the still missing clanmates.

"We'll find Snowstar and Dustflame. We just need to look harder." Cherrycloud meowed, trying to stay optimistic.

"We can't seem to find them anywhere, though. What if they couldn't find us and already left for the clans? Dustflame knows the way." Mistyshine wondered.

"Good point," Brackenstep agreed. "What if they already left?"

"What if the stars fall?" Thrushfang snorted. "My mate wouldn't leave until she found us. I know it."

"But what if-" Dewstorm started.

"This discussion is going in circles!" Sagefrost, who had been quiet until that point cut in. "I think we should send search patrols for the next three days to scour every part of the twolegplace. After that, if we still haven't found Dustflame and Snowstar I think we should continue our journey to the clans." Sagefrost finished and looked nervously around the circle.

"That sounds like a good plan," Brackenstep meowed, and the other cats nodded agreement.

"Good idea, Sagefrost," Maplebreeze complimented her friend, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "That was incredible thinking and a good time to cut in."

"Thanks," Sagefrost whispered back, practically glowing at the deputy's praise.

"I still believe that they will be able to find their way, and we should go help our clanmates," Slatefoot muttered, and Brindledust murmured agreement.

Ignoring them, Maplebreeze took charge. "Cherrycloud, Dewstorm can you take three cats to go and hunting?" The two senior warriors nodded and padded swiftly out of the den.

"I'll lead one search patrol," The golden tabby she-cat continued. "Nettlewhisker, Slatefoot, can you lead the other search patrols?" When the toms nodded, Maplebreeze continued, "I'll take the part of town furthest away from us. Slatefoot and his patrol can search around the park and Nettlewhisker you can take your patrol to the alleyways nearest to the camp. Keep your eyes out for any sign of Snowstar and Dustflame, ask any cats you see and chase down any lead."

"We will," Nettlewhisker promised. "We'll find them." The ginger and white tom led Slatefoot out of the den to collect their patrols. Acknowledging the other warriors with a nod, Maplebreeze followed the toms out of the bramble den.

"Hey, Stoneshade!" Maplebreeze called to the stone-gray tom who was laying with his head on his paws and eyes closed in the early morning sunlight near the edge of the temporary camp.

"W-what is it?" The MountainClan warrior mumbled sleepily, interrupted by a huge yawn.

"Search patrol," Maplebreeze answered promptly. "C'mon, we're leaving in a few minutes."

The gray tom was immediately alert and got quickly to his paws. "We're going to look for Snowstar?" he asked. Maplebreeze nodded yes. "How did the meeting go?"

"It was mostly arguing about what we should do until Sagefrost stepped in and said that we should stay and search for three more days and if Snowstar and Dustflame still haven't been found we will continue our journey." The golden tabby she-cat reported. "Will you get Finchfang and Fernbreeze for me?" She asked Stoneshade. "I haven't gotten a chance to eat, and I'm starving." The MountainClan warrior nodded and trotted across the camp to fetch the cats.

Maplebreeze headed over to the fresh-kill pile, stuck between the two bramble dens. It was mostly empty, as the hunting patrols had just left for the day. A few bones of prey were scattered around the pile and only a pair of lean mice and an old vole were left. Choosing the mice, Maplebreeze lay down beside the pile to eat. She finished quickly and was cleaning her whiskers as her patrol gathered at the edge of the camp. Maplebreeze hurried over to them and with a flick of her tail, led them into the forest.

The search patrol headed through the twolegplace and began to look in the farthest section of the twolegplace from their camp. They combed through the streets of the twolegplace for most of the day, without so much as a trace of Snowstar or Dustflame. They questioned every cat they saw and searched chased down every lead but without any luck.

Maplebreeze's search patrol returned just as the last few orange rays of the sun was dipping below the horizon. They had spent the entire day exploring, and when the sun had begun to set, they had returned to camp, tired and paw-sore without so much as a whiff of their clanmates.

"Any luck?" Nettlewhisker asked, loping over to the returning patrol, his amber eyes hopeful. His search patrol as well as the hunting patrol were already back in camp and were resting in the lay few ray of sunlight. The fresh-kill pile was fully stocked, and it looked as though some prey had already been eaten because small bones lay here and there and half-eaten prey sat at some of the warrior's paws. The apprentices, Frostpaw, Hawkpaw, and Birdpaw, play fighting in the dust, a little ways away from the other cats, near the edge of the camp.

"No, unfortunately," Maplebreeze replied with a disappointed twitch of her whiskers.

Nettlewhisker's tail drooped, and his eyes took on a defeated look. "I don't know if we'll ever find them." He murmured dejectedly.

"It okay, I'm sure we'll find them." Maplebreeze tried to reassure the ginger and white tom, even though she wasn't too sure herself.

"Did you find them?" Thrushfang asked, bounding over, a sad expression on his sandy-brown face.

"No," Maplebreeze shook her head sadly. Both of the toms looked hopeless and dejected as Maplebreeze turned away. _I hope we find Snowstar, and she is alright. The clan depend on her, and Nettlewhisker and Thrushfang along with their kits will be heartbroken if we don't._

The search patrol dispersed into the makeshift camp. After grabbing a thrush from the fresh-kill pile, Maplebreeze lay by the entrance of the second den to eat. The clan cats lay in small groups spaced throughout the camp, talking in hushed voices. Dusk had fallen as the last search patrol straggled into camp. Maplebreeze raised her head as a familiar scent hit her nose.

 _That's Snowstar's scent and ShadowClan scent even though Brindledust is right over there. Could it be? Did they find Snowstar and Dustflame?_ Maplebreeze sprang to her paws and loped over to the search patrol. Obviously, some of the other MountainClan cats had smelled their leader's scent and were hurrying over to the patrol.

Maplebreeze pushed past Slatefoot and Morningfrost, who were at the head of the patrol. Finally, she saw Snowstar, looking exhausted and haggard, leaning on Sparrowshade's shoulder. The gray and white she-cat was limping and held her front left leg off the ground, the fur dark and rumpled with dried blood.

"Snowstar!" Maplebreeze squealed, charging forward to touch noses with her leader.

"Hello, Maplebreeze," Snowstar purred with a sad smile.

"Snowstar!" Thrushfang yowled joyfully, racing to his mate's side, they kits, Sparrowshade and Fernbreeze gathering around them.

"Snowstar!" Nettlewhisker breathed, also bounding to his sister's side and giving her a huge lick around her gray ears. Maplebreeze stepped back, letting her clanmates gather around their leader, giving her warm greetings. The other clan cats greeted Dustflame warmly and set about making the pair of them nests in the two bramble dens.

It was after moonhigh by the time Maplebreeze fell asleep. The clan cats had dozens of questions for Snowstar and Dustflame and were constantly asking about what had happened. _I'm glad that Snowstar and Dustflame are found and safe. We can finally continue on their journey to the clans._

 **Hi everyone! Here is the 12 chapter! Please review and tell me what you think!**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**


	14. Chapter 13: The Clans

**Chapter 13 - The Clans**

The clan cats left early in the morning two days later. Snowstar's leg was injured, and they had lingered in the forest outside the twolegplace for two more days while Birdpaw assessed the gray and white leader's wound and then began treatment. Snowstar walked with a small limp while it healed but, Birdpaw assured her it would heal soon.

The clan cats left just at the sun was rising and traveled through the twolegplace without any incident. They soon left the hard cement thunderpaths and were trudging through expansive green fields again. The sun beat down harshly against the traveling cats' back as they toiled through meadows and up ridges. It was much warmer in the valley than the mountains this time of the year and the thick pelts of the MountainClan cats did not help one bit, leaving them hot and thirsty.

At sunhigh, they reached the banks if a gurgling stream and sat down to rest. Maplebreeze flopped down by the water's edge, her limbs aching already from the long trek.

"It's so much hotter here," Sagefrost panted, dropping down beside her golden brown tabby friend.

"Yeah," Maplebreeze agreed. "It's usually still cold in our territory even this late in Newleaf."

Maplebreeze leaned down to lap at the water and felt the coldness run up her tongue. Beside her, Cherrycloud finished taking a huge drink of water and then stared thoughtfully at the blue water that ripples around her ginger paws.

"What are you looking at?" Maplebreeze asked curiously.

"Oh, I think we may have found the stream that flows all the way through ThunderClan territory and ShadowClan territory," Cherrycloud said thoughtfully. "We followed it on our way to MountainClan's hunting grounds. Yes, I think so!" The ThunderClan warrior's gaze followed the stream's path as it would through the hills. "This is the stream!" She called excitedly, flicking her tail toward a hill that sloped down to the banks of the brook. "I recognize that hill that looks like a beaver from the elder's tails!"

At the sound of Cherrycloud's cheerful voice, many cats looked up to listen to what she was calling. "This is the stream that we followed on the way!"

"It flows right through ThunderClan and ShadowClan territory."

"We're so close to our homes." Murmurs rippled through the crowd of cats of ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan.

Maplebreeze gazed at the stream, watching it wind through the rolling green hills and disappear behind a high hill, dotted with trees. She knew that a large lake lay behind those mountains, sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. Around it lay lush forests, with tall pine, maple and oak trees, a fresh green moorland, an extensive blue river and swampy marsh where the clans lived, hunted, and fought. They had found the stream that would lead them to the lake.

"Cats of ShadowClan, WindClan, ThunderClan, and RiverClan!" Dustflame's voice rang from where he stood, his fur outlined in golden sunlight, on a rise a tree-lengths away from the stream. "As you have heard, this brook makes the border between my clan's territory and ThunderClan territory. This brook is also the stream that we followed on our way to MountainClan." Dustlame paused, nodding to the cluster of MountainClan cats in the crowd. "This is the quickest route back to our clans, and I think we should follow it back to our home." The clan cats murmured their agreement as soon set off again, following the curving banks of the brook.

. . .

They clan cats trekked through grassy fields and lush forests, with small buds just beginning to open. They finally stopped as the last few rays of the sun were vanishing below the horizon. They camped for the night in a shady dip between two foothills before the large ridge that encircled the valley where four clans lived.

Snowstar sent two patrols of cats to scour the countryside around them for prey, while the rest of the cats gathered ferns and other foliage for nests. The stars sparkled brightly in the night sky, partially covered with fluffy gray clouds, as Maplebreeze and the other warriors finished their meals and curled up for the evening. The moon was visible across the rim of the dip and cast silver shadows across the hillside.

Maplebreeze lay near the edge of the group, watching the cats of the four clans chattering excitedly with each other.

"Hey, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep meowed, trotting over to her. "You're watching the other clan cats. They all look thrilled to be so close to their home." The light brown and ginger tom observed, taking a seat beside his mate.

"Yeah," Maplebreeze agreed, her voice soft and sad.

"Are you alright?" Brackenstep asked, looking at her worriedly.

"I'm okay. I was just thinking about what it will be like when we reach the clans. I can't help thinking about what they did to our ancestors. I know that the have changed and no longer punish cats severely for breaking the warrior code, but I have a bad feeling about this. The four clans are the cause of our ancestor's suffering. They banished and killed innocent cats."

"Yes, but without them, MountainClan wouldn't exist." Brackenstep reminded her. "Our clan is a mixed bloodline of so many cats who came to seek refuge. Our clan stands for equality, justice, and second chances. We are different from the other clans in that way.

"Just look at Dawnwing and me. You know how Nettlewhisker when he was very young, met a rogue named Petal. They met in secret and fell in love and a few moons later, had Dawnwing and me. Petal refused to care for us, so Nettlewhisker took us in. Silverflight helped raise us as well as Sagefrost and Pinefall. Nettlewhisker and Morningfrost became mates and Morningfrost loved us like we were her kits. I remember her telling me not to care about what other cats said when Gorsestep teased by because I was half-rogue.

"We are lucky to live in such a loyal, healthy, and wise clan, with cats with many different views, but are loyal and committed. I'm sure our first meeting with the other clans will be alright." The ginger and brown tom finished speaking and turned to his mate, waiting for her reply.

Maplebreeze sighed softly and then replied. "I know, you right. It will probably be okay. Judging by the clan cats I've met the clans have changed and will be accepting and glad that we came all this way to help them. But I can't shake off the feeling in my gut that somehow, this is wrong, and we shouldn't be helping the cats who killed and banished cats who didn't deserve to be."

"You have a strong gut, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep told her solemnly, his yellow eyes just visible in the darkness; his gaze was strangely guarded. "I agree with you that unjust punishments were delivered to some cats, but that was many moons ago, and the clan cats came to us to help them in their war against the rogues and without our help, they will be killed. It is written in the warrior code that each clan had the right to be self-reliant and proud, but in times of need should help each other. The other clans are in need, and it is our duty to aid them. It is the right thing to do."

"You're right." Maplebreeze meowed for the second time that night. The mates snuggled up against each other and fell asleep to the excited chatter of the clan cats.

. . .

The clan cats left early the next morning, even before the sun appeared over the horizon. The cats of ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan were extremely excited to be home and bounded ahead of the group, urging the others to go faster.

Maplebreeze, padding beside Sagefrost and Brackenstep laughed as Cherrycloud and Meadowpool acted like apprentices, out of camp for the first time. The she-cats chased each other around joyfully, and Cherrycloud even battled at a moth that had fluttered by. Nearby, Gorestep sniffed with distaste and pointedly turned his back on the energetic warriors.

"Who made dirt in his fresh-kill?" Maplebreeze whispered to Sagefrost.

"It might be because he, Meadowpool and I had a hunting competition last night and we both beat him by several pieces of prey," Sagefrost whispered back, her yellow eyes glinting. "Or because he's a grouch and still thinks we should have never come."

"It's probably both." Maplebreeze chuckled and remarked. "Gorsestep is always talking and is a huge pain in the tail; it's nice that for once he isn't." The MountainClan she-cats giggled at Maplebreeze's comment and continued on their way toward the clan territory.

It was about sunhigh when the steep slope that they had been toiling up for a while evened out, and the scent of oak, maple, birch trees and prey like squirrels and mice and dried leaves hit Maplebreeze's nose. I think that's ThunderClan's scent. Have we reached their territory already?

"These are my clanmates' scent markings! We've reached ThunderClan territory!" Finchfang announced to the clan cats who had gathered around the ThunderClan border, confirming Maplebreeze's thoughts.

"We're home!" Cherrycloud squealed, happily. The ginger she-cat bent down and sniffed again. "That's strange," She remarked quietly to Finchfang, who stood beside her. Leaning closer to the pair of ThunderClan cats, Maplebreeze just managed to overhear her words. "The scent is stale like the border hasn't been marked in two or three days. Do you the rogues are controlling this border now, or our clanmates are too scared to patrol our borders?"

"I don't know," Finchfang replied worriedly with a shrug of his ginger shoulders. "There aren't any fresh rogue scents, though, so I don't think they have claimed this part of the territory."

"Should we bring the group to our camp? We might risk showing them how weak we are." Cherrycloud asked.

"We should. Specklestar said she wants us to come immediately back, and then the other cats can go alert the clan leaders that we are back with MountainClan." Finchfang stated.

Cherrycloud nodded in agreement and then raising her head, called, "Clan cats, we are now entering ThunderClan territory. Finchfang and I will lead the way to the ThunderClan camp and after that, we will decide what should we do next." The clan cats nodded and let the ThunderClan warriors take the lead.

ThunderClan's forest was peaceful, ferns waving in a gentle breeze, birds chirping as they fluttered overhead. Cherrycloud and Finchfang led the patrol through the spectacular woodland. Countless branches, full of blooming leaves, framed a cloudless blue sky. Branches bent and waved rhythmically in a soft breeze. Clustered flowers dotted the undergrowth here and there.

 _The forest is beautiful and yet; there is tension in the air. The whole atmosphere is tense as if the rogues could attack at any moment. It must be terrible to live in suspense like this,_ Maplebreeze thought.

"I wonder where the patrols are?" Cherrycloud's worried voice cut through Maplebreeze's thoughts. She was muttering to Finchfang as they padded through the sunlit woods

"Yeah," the ginger tom replied, obviously distraught. "The sunhigh border patrol should be around here and where is the hunting patrols. We haven't seen a single of our clanmates! I don't know what-"

A distant howl interrupted Finchfang's words, and all of the clan cats looked up in surprise. "That sounds like a cat!" Cherrycloud breathed, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Our clanmates!" Finchfang yowled, racing in the forest in the direction where the howl had come. Startled, the rest of the group dashed after the bright ginger warrior. Thorns tore at her fur and branches whipped in her face as Maplebreeze dashed after her clanmates, serving around trees and ducking under branches.

They burst out of the woods into a grassy glade with shrubs dotting the lush green earth. Maplebreeze skidded to a stop behind Sagefrost and Finchfang. Peering over Sagefrost's shoulder, she spotted several cats tussling in the dust two tree-lengths away. Gazing at the battling cats more carefully, Maplebreeze placed five broad-shouldered ThunderClan cats. The scarred rogues outnumbered the ThunderClan cats two to one. The rogues darted in and out of range of their opponents, slashing at their sides, or shoulders before dancing out of the ThunderClan warrior's reach. The cats of ThunderClan moved sluggishly, their blows tired and sloppy.

 _What are the rogues doing?_ Maplebreeze wondered. _It almost seems as if they are teasing the ThunderClan cats, getting them to be tired and slow before finishing them off. That's so cruel._

A mottled brown tom with green eyes was pinned to the ground by a large gray tom with shredded ears. The mottled tom flailed, trying to wrench himself free, but the scarred rogue held him down with an iron grip.

"No!" Finchfang yowled, leaping over the shrubs that had hidden them, he raced to the mottled brown tom's aid.

Yowling a battle cry, Cherrycloud charged after him. The rest of the patrol dashed after her, pushing past the bushes at the edge of the clearing and racing to help the losing ThunderClan cats. At the wave of new cats, the rogues' eyes widened, and they leaped to meet the sprinting clan cats. Dewstorm and Morningfrost collided with a sandy brown she-cat and a large mottled black and brown tom. Slatefoot slashed at a ginger and white tom with an ugly scar on his chest that had pinned a lovely silver and white tabby she-cat.

Maplebreeze found herself face-to-face with a skinny pale brown and white tom. Snarling, his yellow teeth barred, the tom aimed a blow at her muzzle. Maplebreeze leaped to the side, feeling his paw graze her whiskers. Maplebreeze ducked as the tom swiped again, his foot swinging above her head, and rolled to the side, raking her claws down the rogue's pale brown flanks.

The rogue hissed in pain and leaped to the side, wrenching Maplebreeze's claws out of his pelt. Her shoulder stung as the rogue made contact and blood welled around the small scratch. Hissing with anger, Maplebreeze swung wildly at the tom, but he nimbly dodged to the left and lay a blow on her muzzle.

A cry split the air, and all of the fighting cats froze. "Dark Fangs, retreat!" All of the rogues fled to the edge of the clearing, disappearing into the shadowy forest.

"You may have won this battle, but you will never win this war!" The gray tom with shredded ears hissed, his eyes flashing furiously, lingering near the edge of the trees.

"Get out of here, Ash!" The silver and white tabby she-cat spat, bounding over to stand nose-to-nose with the scarred gray tom. "Get off our territory!"

Ash sneered and replied, "This won't be your territory for much longer. You may have gotten help from MountainClan, but you will never win!" The gray tom snarled as he turned tail and disappeared into the woods.

"Yeah, that's right! Run away you cowards!" A sleek black tom caterwauled, skidding to a stop at the edge of the glade where the rogues had vanished. Maplebreeze gathered in a small cluster with her clanmates near the brink of the meadow. Maplebreeze anxiously scanned the crowd of her clanmates and was relieved to see that everyone was alive and not severely injured. Snowstar stood tall near the center of the group, her ear bloody and torn at the tip, but otherwise unscathed. Her wounded leg had not prevented her from fighting formidable.

"Are you okay?" A concerned voice asked in her ear. Maplebreeze turned to her Brackenstep, a little bloody but excellent, standing a tail-length away. In the chaos of the battle, she had lost sight of him and now was glad to see that he was alright.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I have just a few scratches." She answered with a smile. "The rogue I fought wasn't a good fighter."

"Neither was my opponent. We may be better fighters, but they have strength in numbers." The brown and ginger tom mused. The cats fell silents as they watched the ThunderClan cats exchange warm greetings.

Maplebreeze turned her attention to where Cherrycloud was talking with a tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Yes, we did manage to find them." Cherrycloud was meowing. "They live in a vast territory in the high mountains a quarter moon's journey from here. They hunt eagles and hawks and survive in the harsh conditions of the mountains."

"Wow," The she-cat meowed in awe. "You found MountainClan!"

The other ThunderClan cats seemed to hear the tortoiseshell warrior's words and turned their attention to the group of MountainClan cats that had gathered near the line of tall trees at the edge of the glade. The MountainClan warriors shifted uncomfortable under the ThunderClan warrior's shocked, surprised and awed gazes.

The silver and white tabby she-cat Maplebreeze had seen earlier stepped forward and asked, her blue gaze inquiring and curious. "You're really all cats of MountainClan?"

 **Hi everyone, chapter 13 is up! This chapter is definitely not my best writing but I hope you enjoy it! A lot of times I struggle with how much description I use and sometimes I feel like i use too much or too little and I can't always describe what I want the feeling to be. Like always, review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	15. Chapter 14: Thunderstorm and ThunderClan

**Chapter 14 **

"Yes, we are," Snowstar confirmed, her voice slightly wary as she stepped forward out of the mass of MountainClan cats. "We have lived for many moons now in our territory in the high mountains just north of here."

The gray and white leader paused, staring uncertainly at the doubtful looks on the ThunderClan cats' faces. Taking a slow breath, she continued, "My name is Snowstar, and I'm the leader of MountainClan. This is my deputy, Maplebreeze." With a wave of her gray-patched tail, Snowstar beckoned Maplebreeze forward.

The golden brown tabby she-cat padded slowly forward, feeling her pelt prickled uncomfortably as the ThunderClan cats' piercing gazes follow her as she padded to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her leader. The MountainClan deputy shifted uncomfortably as an awkward silence followed her words of greeting. The ThunderClan cats on the patrol exchanged long looks, their gazes still uncertain.

"Well, I think we should head back to camp." Cherrycloud's brisk voice broke the silence. "Specklestar will want to hear everything right away."

"Yes, follow us." The silver and white she-cat meowed quickly, looking relieved. The MountainClan warriors as well as the cats of RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan followed the ThunderClan warriors and apprentice. They traveled swiftly uphill for a little while, following their confident guilds through the dense woodland.

The sun halfway through its descent as Maplebreeze and the other cats pushed through a tangled barrier of bramble bushes and into an extensive clearing. Towering stone walls surrounded the clearing on three sides, sloping down to a sea of brambles weaved together into numerous dens.

The cats of ThunderClan looked up, their gazes full of shock at the mass of cats who had returned with their clanmates. Maplebreeze's pelt prickled once again with unease as the stares of the ThunderClan cats, full of curiosity and puzzlement, joy and anger, followed her and her clanmates as they padded forward and halted in the center of the glade. A dark brown tabby tom looked up from where he crouched beside the fresh-kill pile with a light gray tom with darker streaks and a long-haired dark gray she-cat. A gray and white tom and a longhaired gray and white she-cat poked their heads out of a smaller den, staring curiously at the crowd of cats before bounding to join their clanmates.

Cherrycloud, Finchfang, and the silver tabby and white tabby she-cat, who Maplebreeze assumed had been the patrol leader slipped away from a group. They bounded toward a tumble of rocks directly across from the entrance. They clambered up onto a ledge and vanished into a small cave at the back of the ledge.

Turning her attention back to the ThunderClan camp, Maplebreeze watched as the ThunderClan cats began slowly gathering in the glade below the ledge.

 _Huh. It's like they can anticipate that their leader, Specklestar, I think, is going to something. That shelf looks like where a leader would call clan meetings. It's the highest place in the camp._

Maplebreeze glanced around uneasily. Almost all of the ThunderClan cats were sitting in the clearing now, their gazes fixed on the MountainClan cats. The MountainClan deputy felt very self-conscious under the searching stares of all of the ThunderClan cats.

"Why do they have to stare at us like this?" The golden brown tabby she-cat muttered.

"Remember that MountainClan was just a myth for them, a story for kits." Brackenstep murmured in her ear.

"Yeah, but it's still strange to have a bunch of cats staring at you," Maplebreeze replied with a twitch of her whiskers.

"I know," Brackenstep agreed, looking nervously around them. The rest of the MountainClan cats were also showing signs of wariness and unease at the questioning gazes of the ThunderClan cats.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" The cry ran throughout the hollow, and all of the cats turned their attention to a regal white she-cat with small silver dapples stood on the ledge, flanked by Cherrycloud and Finchfang. The white she-cat stood with dignity, her expression determined and her eyes flashed commandingly. But there were fresh scars on her muzzle and a haunted, despairing look in her eyes.

The silver and white tabby she-cat slipped down to join the rest of the cats as the white she-cat began, "Cats of ThunderClan! The patrol we sent almost two moons ago now has returned with great success. They have brought a large group of MountainClan warriors and apprentices back with them to aid us in our war."

The silver and white she-cat paused, as cheers erupted from the clusters of ThunderClan cats. "We will finally be able to fight back!"

"We can win this war!"

"Welcome, MountainClan!"

Maplebreeze felt all of her worry and discomforts melt away at the welcoming words of the ThunderClan cats. These cats were glad to have their help. Glancing at her clanmates, Maplebreeze saw them looking considerably relieved as well.

"How do we know that they really from MountainClan?" an accusing voice cut through all of the joyful yowls. The ThunderClan cat froze, and the clearing went dead-silent.

A large gray and white tom got to his feet. "They could be some of the rogues from the Dark Fangs, trying to trick us and learn all of our battle strategies!" The gray and white tom continued, glaring furiously at the MountainClan cats. "I say we send them back to where they came from!"

At the gray and white tom's words, Maplebreeze was dismayed to hear several cats yowl agreement.

"Yeah! MountainClan is just a myth! Anyone could impersonate them!" A young light gray tabby tom sprang to his feet.

"Finchfang and I along with the other cat from the patrol found them. Do you doubt our word?" Cherrycloud yowled, her tail lashing angrily.

"You could have been fooled!" The gray and white tom shot back.

"I know that they are from MountainClan. I saw their camp and territory myself! They have four elders and two queens with kits! Do you think the rogues would go to that much trouble, Whiteblaze?" Cherrycloud replied evenly.

"I saw them fight! They don't fight like clan cats so they can't be them!" The sleek black tom from the patrol sneered.

"The way you fight doesn't make you a clan cat, Lightningpaw." Another cat from the patrol, a tortoiseshell she-cat scolded the black apprentice from a few tail-lengths away.

 _I can't believe that they are saying that we are rogues pretending to be MountainClan cats! After we came all this way to help them! This is worse than what I thought would happen! They are calling us fakes!_ Maplebreeze thought furiously.

"Stop!" Snowstar yowled, bounding forward. "That's enough!" The gray and white leader's yellow eyes flashed commandingly. "We _are_ cats from MountainClan. My name is Snowstar, leader of MountainClan. I received my nine lives at our Moonfalls, the place where our medicine cat, Blossomshade goes to meet StarClan once a moon. Our ancestors created our clan in the high mountains after being banished from their clan's many moons ago. Tell me, is that not enough proof that we are indeed a real clan?"

There was a moment of shocked silence before the ThunderClan cats turned to each other, talking in low voices. Maplebreeze stared, stunned, at her leader. Snowstar stood calming in front of her despite the chaos around her.

"Any rogue could know that!" Whiteblaze spat.

"Would any rogue know that Silverpelt represents the spirits of our ancestors or that Leafpool of ThunderClan was the cat who discovered the Moonpool?" Snowstar asked challengingly.

"Would any rogue know that?" Cherrycloud asked her clanmates, glaring pointedly at Whiteblaze.

"No, I suppose not." The gray and white tom muttered, just loud enough for Maplebreeze to hear.

"ThunderClan!" Specklestar yowled, taking charge once again. "Snowstar has proven that they are indeed from MountainClan and not imposters. We must show them the courtesy they deserve; they are our guests. Welcome, MountainClan, to our camp."

As the silver and white leader finished, yowls of welcome rang throughout the camp. After a moment, Specklestar raised her tail for silence. "I have decided to let the MountainClan patrol rest in our camp for the next two days until the Gathering. There, we will decide where MountainClan can stay and what we should do about the Dark Fangs. Meeting dismissed."

As the ThunderClan cats broke off into smaller groups, the silver dappled leader scrambled down the tumble of rocks. The pairs of RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan cats had said their goodbyes and were just heading out of the thorn tunnel as Specklestar padded toward where Snowstar stood.

"Greetings, Snowstar," Specklestar meowed dipping her sleek white head to the MountainClan leader.

"Specklestar." Snowstar acknowledged curtly.

"Could we and our deputies go somewhere to speak in private?" Specklestar asked, looking slightly nervous at talking to the MountainClan leader. "I would like to discuss the Gathering and your deputy."

"Sure," The MountainClan leader replied. With a wave of her tail, Snowstar beckoned to Maplebreeze. The golden brown tabby she-cat trotted over from where she had been watching the exchange between the two leaders. The three she-cats headed toward the Highledge and clambered up the tumble of rocks.

"Spiderleap!" Specklestar called to her black and white deputy who was deep in conversation with the silver and white tabby she-cat from the patrol. Spiderleap looked up, murmured a goodbye to his companion and then climbed to join them.

The four cats padded into the small cave at the back of the Highledge. Maplebreeze sat down beside Snowstar on one side of the den. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she could see a rough sandy wall that climbed to a small roof, a tail-length above their heads. A soft pile of fresh moss lay in one corner, Specklestar's nest. Her fellow deputy, Spiderleap, and Specklestar sat on the opposite side of the cave.

"Welcome to our camp," Specklestar began. "The Gathering is in two days, and you and your clan are invited to stay with us."

"Thank you," Snowstar replied. "We will need the rest, but if you need us to go on hunting or border patrols, we would be glad to do it."

"Good, we will need the extra hunting patrols with so many more cats in camp." The ThunderClan leader remarked. "I think the Gathering in two days is the best time to decide what we should do about the rogues. They have been attacking our patrols and stealing our prey for many moons now. My medicine cat, Pebblefur told me of a clan in the Mountains and two and a half moons ago now, I proposed that we send two cats each to search for the lost clan. With help from your clan, we hope that we will be able to defeat the rogues once and for all."

"We will do whatever we can do to help," Maplebreeze promised.

"Thank you," Specklestar replied. "I know we are asking you to lay down your lives for our clans, the clans who banished your ancestors." The silver and white leader nodded at the surprised looks on Maplebreeze's and Snowstar's faces. "Yes, we know what happened many moons ago. The clans do not expect to be forgiven for what happened. We can only hope that you will help us, so we are not wiped out."

"It won't be easy," Spiderleap warned, speaking up for the first time. "We have already lost three clanmates. You will probably lose some cats as well to the rogues. We would not blame you if you went back to your territory in the mountains."

Snowstar nodded. "I know the risks," the gray and white leader meowed. "My clan is true to their word. We came all this way to help you fight so we shall."

The ThunderClan leader and deputy looked like a huge weight had been taken off their shoulders. "Thank you so much." Specklestar meowed gratefully. "You have no idea how much this means to my clan." Snowstar nodded again and then she and Maplebreeze padded out of the cave and down the tumble of rocks.

Maplebreeze padded along the dark shoreline. To her right, the lake, it's waters reflecting the brilliant stars above them, stretched far into the distance. To her left, the rolling hills of WindClan territory loomed in the darkness. The quiet murmurs of her clanmates and the soft thumping of their came from all around her. The moon, a bright, perfect circle in the dark blue sky, shone down on the group of ThunderClan and MountainClan cats as they headed quickly toward the island where the Gathering would take place.

In the past two days, the MountainClan cats had gone on hunting and border patrols with the ThunderClan cats. For the most part, both clans had gotten on well together. Maplebreeze had seen Frostpaw and Hawkpaw play fighting with some of the ThunderClan apprentices. Birdpaw had immediately taken a liking to Pebblefur, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and the pair swapped stories and herb remedies. Most of the warriors in both clans gave the other a respectful distance although, Whiteblaze and some of the other ThunderClan warriors continued to be hostile.

Earlier that afternoon, Specklestar announced the cats who would be going to the Gathering, including the whole group of MountainClan cats. Now, the large patrol was traveling at a quick pace toward the island that rose out of the lake ahead of them. After a few more minutes of hiking, the large patrol reached the tree-bridge, a long tree trunk that stretched from the shore to the island.

The scents of wind and gorse, pine needles and marshy ground hit Maplebreeze nose. _The windy scent must be WindClan, and the pine scent must be ShadowClan. I guess they're already here._ On ThunderClan border patrols, Maplebreeze had learned to recognize the scents of ShadowClan and WindClan, who shared borders with ThunderClan.

Most of the ThunderClan and MountainClan cats had already crossed, and when it was Maplebreeze's turn, she leaped up onto the tree-bridge and stepped carefully across. Maplebreeze glanced down at the dark water, lapping greedily at the tree. The golden tabby she-cat leaped down onto the soft earth of the island. Following Thrushfang, who had crossed just before her, she pushed her way through the bushes at the edge of the isle.

She emerged into a large glade full of cats. In the center, an ancient oak tree spread majestic branches that crisscross the starlit sky. Two cats, a dark gray she-cat, and a mottled brown tom sat on the branches high above the clearing. Specklestar, beckoning Snowstar to follow her bounded across the clearing and claw their way across the tree and began chatting with the other leaders. The bright stars of Silverpelt shone down through a huge canopy of green leaves. A ring of trees around the cast shadows on the leaf-covered earth.

 _Wow, this clearing is huge!_ Maplebreeze thought. It is much bigger than the Greatstones in our territory. _I've never seen so many cats in the same place!_ Glancing around her wondered, _I wonder where all my clanmates are, almost all of them cross before me._

"Hey, Maplebreeze!" Sagefrost's excited voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hi!" Maplebreeze smiled in relief.

"Do you want to come sit with Sparrowshade and me?" The pale ginger she-cat asked.

"Sure," Maplebreeze responded, trotting after her friend. Sagefrost led her across the shadowy clearing and under the branches of a hazel bush at the edge of the clearing. Murmuring a hello to Sparrowshade, who was sitting a paw-step away, Maplebreeze turned her attention to the crowded glade. The ShadowClan and WindClan cats were mingling, exchanging news and chattering excitedly. A group of elders gossiped near the ancient oak. Several apprentices, including Dustpaw and Cinderpaw of ThunderClan, were having a jumping contest. A band of RiverClan cats, their glossy pelts shining in the moonlight emerged from the bushes and joined the crowd. A sleek black tom emerged from behind them, racing across the clearing, ascended the ancient oak.

 _Wow, I never knew how different each of these cats would look. The RiverClan cats have thick pelts like my clanmates, but they are much sleeker. We have strong shoulders like the ThunderClan cats, but their's are much broader. We look quite a bit like the WindClan cats with our lean bodies, long legs, and tails. We look nothing like the ShadowClan cats though,_ Maplebreeze mused, watching all of the cats in the clearing.

"Hey, Maplebreeze," A gruff voice called. The golden tabby she-cat turned to see a Spiderleap his black and white pelt like a shadow in the dim light.

"Spiderleap," Maplebreeze said coldly. The MountainClan deputy and the ThunderClan deputy had gotten off to a rocky start. The black and white tom had insisted on deciding the patrols that the MountainClan cats would go on even though Maplebreeze knew that he clanmates would rather take orders from her. He had also acted like she was a kit just out of the nursery, wanting to tell her and her clanmates everything.

"You should come sit with the other deputies. Follow me." Spiderleap meowed, his voice equally cool.

"Okay," Maplebreeze meowed, slightly surprised at being invited to sit with the other deputies. "See you later!" She called to Sagefrost and Sparrowshade over her shoulder. She followed the ThunderClan deputy through the mass of cats and onto the roots of the ancient oak tree. A long-haired gray tom that smelled of WindClan, a thick-furred black and white tabby she-cat and a lean, sleek black she-cat were already sitting on the roots.

"This is Nightfeather of ShadowClan, Greystorm of WindClan, and Shimmerstorm of RiverClan." Spiderleap introduced the other deputies, nodding first to the sleek black she-cat then the gray tom then the black and white she-cat. Maplebreeze gave them a curt nod then settled down on one of the roots.

"Let the Gathering begin!" the mottled brown tom Maplebreeze had seen earlier yowled from his place on a branch above the other leaders. "Reedstar would you like to speak first?" The tom asked.

"That's Oakstar, leader of ShadowClan." Spiderleap whispered in her ear.

"Thanks," Maplerbeeze replied as the sleek black tom began to speak.

"RiverClan is well fed so far this Newleaf," The smooth black leader began. "Rogues have attacked our border patrols, but it's nothing my warriors can't handle. We-"

"That's Reedstar of RiverClan." Spiderleap hissed. "He is totally lying, I mean look at the fresh scars on the Riverclan warriors."

"That's pretty obvious," Maplebreeze hissed back. But what the ThunderClan deputy had said was true. Maplebreeze could see a light ginger tabby tom and a silver tabby she-cat sat not too far away, and the golden tabby she-cat could see half-healed wounds on their muzzles and flanks.

"-a new litter of kits has been born to Swallowwing and Beatlefall, a tom and a she-kit named Aspenkit and Streamkit. That is all." Reedstar finished speaking and stepped, back motioning with his tail that it was Speckledstar's turn.

"It's Specklestar's turn to speak she's going to announce that you and your clanmates have come to help us-" Spiderleap told her.

"I know that." Maplebreeze hissed angrily. "Can you please be quiet? I'm trying to hear!"

"Okay, sorry." Spiderleap meowed, sounding offended.

"ThunderClan is doing well. We have two new apprentices, Dustpaw, and Cinderpaw!" Specklestar began.

"Dustpaw! Cinderpaw! Dustpaw! Cinderpaw!" The clans cheered.

Once the cheering had died down Specklestar continued, "As you all know, the patrol we sent two moons ago to search for MountainClan has returned with great success. A group of cats from MountainClan has come to aid us in our battle with the rogues, and they are with us tonight."

The air quickly filled with murmurs of the clan cats. Maplebreeze shifted uncomfortably, where she sat as dozens of curious eyes, turned to stare at her and her clanmates.

"Wow!" She heard a WindClan tom whisper to his companion. "They're here."

"I thought MountainClan was just a myth!" An elder meowed in amazement.

Gazing over the heads of the clan cats, Maplebreeze made out shapes of cats lurking at the edge of the clearing. _Are those the rogues?_ She thought with a prick of alarm. No sooner than she thought this, then a cry came from a RiverClan elder who was sitting at the back of the crowd.

"Rogues from the Dark Fangs are here!" Chaos erupted at the RiverClan tom's fearful cry; some cats spun around trying to find where the Dark Fangs cats were hiding. A few warriors from all clans tried in vain to locate their elders and queens. Cats dashed here and there, unsure of where to run. Many desperate voices pierced the dark air.

"Quiet!" A commanding voice ordered over the crowd. Maplebreeze glanced up to see Snowstar standing on the branch beside Specklestar, her pelt bristling. Silence quickly fell as the cats stared up at the gray and white MountainClan leader.

Heads turned to see a large gray rogue stalk slowly forward into the moonlight, many rogues emerging after him. It was the rogue that had led the attacking group of cats when the patrol of cats had first returned. The silver and white tabby she-cat, who Maplebreeze had learned was named Icefern, had called him Ash.

"Ash," Specklestar growled for here she stood on the branch of the ancient oak, her teeth barred. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

More and more rogues emerged behind the scarred gray tom, their eyes glinting in the moonlight and rough pelts bristling. They took up positions on all sides, cutting the clan cats off from the tree-bridge. "What am I doing here?" Ash sneered. "I'm here to deliver a message from Strike."

No sooner than the words had left his mouth, a loud thunder crash echoed across the heavens, made many clan cats jump. The sky, just moments before clear, was now dark with storm clouds. Lightning flashed for an instant, lighting up the entire island. Then thunder boomed again as a hard rain began to fall. Lightning flashed once more, outlining Ash where he stood a stone at the edge of the clearing surrounded by his cats.

Murmurs of "StarClan is angry! They sent the thunderstorm!" rippled across the clearing.

"Ah, you superstitious fools," Ash drawled dramatically. "There is no StarClan. Or at least they won't be around for much longer."

"Tell what you want then leave!" A brave voice snarled. Maplebreeze glanced in surprise at Spiderleap, who had snarled. The black and white tom was standing on the tree roots, his pelt bristling and his eyes narrowed.

"Very well," Ash spat. "I want all of the clans to leave this territory!"

 **Hi everyone, chapter 14 is up! This chapter is called Thunder as a reference to ThunderClan, where a chunk of this is set in ThunderClan territory and the thunderstorm at the end. As always, please review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	16. Chapter 15: When Darkness Falls

**Chapter 15 - When Darkness Falls**

Shocked silence filled the clearing, following the scarred gray tom's demand. All eyes were trained on the Dark Fangs second-in-command, his stone gray fur blending with the large gray shape of the boulder he perched on. Another thunder rumble shook the clearing from the twisted roots of the trees to the leaves, high above them.

"We will give you three days to make your decision." Ash's calm voice despite the loud booming of the thunder rang ominously across the island.

Maplebreeze gazed worriedly at the cats in the around her. Snowstar stood next to Specklestar, her gray and white patched pelt just visible in the darkness, a mixture of fury and thoughtfulness on her face. The other leaders looked equally angry, glaring down at the rogues. Beside her, Spiderleap stared icily at the rogues, his expression of pure hatred. The black and white tom looked like he would like nothing more than to tear the rogues limb from limb.

The other clan cats stood in the shadows of the trees, barely gray shapes in the darkness. Some crouched, their claws digging into the grass earth, glaring furiously at the band of rogues. Others pressed close together, casting fearful glances at the trespassing cats. A few brave warriors bounded forward until they stood barely a paw-step away. More warriors moved to join them, instinctively pushing their elders, queens, and young apprentices to the center of the group.

"If you chose to leave," Ash went on, his yellow eyes narrowed into slits. "We will give you a moon of peace to rest and prepare. If you do not, we will continue to attack, sparing no mercy. We _will_ drive you out. It is your choice, rests and prepares or feel our claws."

"We will never leave!" a mottled brown tom with darker smudges that blended with the shadows snarled, springing to his paws.

"This is our territory!" We will fight to the death to defend it!" A ginger RiverClan tom spat.

"You don't belong here! Get out!" Brindledust of ShadowClan hissed, her lip curled in fury. Yowls of agreement rang through the crowd.

"This territory won't belong to you much longer. Either way, you will lose your precious land." Ash growled, showing off yellow teeth.

 _Oh, StarClan. This situation is worst than I thought. They are demanding that the clans leave the land that they've hunted and fought in for moons upon moons!_ Maplebreeze thought angrily.

Turning her attention back to the cats in the clearing around her, Maplebreeze observed that the tension had escalated. The rogues stood stock-still in defensive positions on the far side of the clearing, blocking the clan cats' path to the tree-bridge. The mass of clan cats was packed tightly together around the roots of the ancient oak tree, putting and much space between them and the rogues as possible. The warriors from each clan took places around the edge of the crowd, ready to spring at the rogues if they were to make one wrong move.

The way the warriors from each clan had almost immediately formed a protective circle their clanmates told Maplebreeze that they had needed to do it many times before, so it almost came naturally to them. _It must be terrible to have to have to live that way, knowing that a rogue could attack you at any moment. These rogues need to be driven out of clan territory and leave the clans in peace!_

In the midst of the chaos that had ensued the arrival of the cats of the Dark Fangs, Maplebreeze had lost track of her clanmates. Now, scanning the crowd she spotted most of them gathered beneath a beech tree with long, low-hanging branches at the very edge of the crowd. Squinting, she made out Thrushfang's familiar sandy brown pelt nest to Dewstorm's large gray and dark brown tabby form and Frostpaw's brilliant white one. Several tail-lengths away she spotted sleek pale ginger fur belonging to Sagefrost and Brackenstep's brown and ginger tabby pelt.

 _Thank StarClan they're all alright._ Maplebreeze's shoulders slumped in relief as she saw that every single one of the MountainClan cats on the patrol that had come to the clans was safe and unscathed. She was even glad to see Gorestep, sitting safely between Morningfrost and Hawkpaw.

"You have three days to make your decisions. Either leave peacefully or be forced to leave. Send a patrol with cats from every clan to the ShadowClan and ThunderClan border with the unclaimed territory in three days to give us your answer. A patrol of my cats will be waiting. You have three days. Make your choice wisely." Ash warned, his deep voice low and threatening. With a flick of his long gray tail, the Dark Fangs second-in-command leaped down from his boulder and slunk into the undergrowth. With hard glares at the clan cats, the cats of the Dark Fangs quickly followed.

Once the last cat, a rowan tom with white paws vanished through the bushes, anxious murmurs broke out across the clearing. Cats were turning to each other, talking worriedly in hushed tones. The tension in the clearing remained, hanging like a cloud over the throng as the clan cats anxiously discussed the rogues' demand.

Maplebreeze glared at where the rogues had disappeared. _The nerve of those rogues! Interrupting a gathering then demanding that the clans leave! Those pathetic prey-stealers!_

"Cats of all clans!" Ashstar, the leader of WindClan, called out. At the WindClan leader's weary but firm voice, heads turned, and conversations broke off as the clan cats diverted their attention back to the leaders.

An echoing thunder crash made Maplebreeze jump. It wasn't as loud as before and looking upward; she could see that the dark storm clouds had moved on. A bright lighting strike followed, seeing to cut the feather-like clouds. For an instant, the whole island was illuminated with yellow light. The golden tabby she-cat could see the five leaders silhouetted against the gnarled trunk.

"You have all heard the Dark Fangs' threat." Ashstar continued. "We have three days to stay and fight or to leave peacefully. I think-"

The gray leader's remark was interrupted by an indignant yowl. "We should stay and fight!" Shouted a blue-eyed, dark brown WindClan tom. "This territory is ours' and always will be!

The WindClan tom's angry words seemed to break a barrier for the clan cats, and more angry shouts filled the air.

"We can't let ourselves be driven out by a pitiful band of rogues!" A RiverClan she-cat spat.

"If we don't leave, more cats will die! This land isn't worth so many lives!" A feeble voice objected. The cats moved aside to reveal an elderly dark brown tom. Maplebreeze recognized him as Briarfoot, one of ThunderClan's three elders.

"Why should we leave meekly? We are the clans, we have always fought! We need to stand our ground and fight for our homes!" Whiteblaze argued, his yellow eyes flashing.

"Watch it, young'un. When you get to my age, you know a few things. We would be better off leaving. We have lost enough cats already." Briarfoot growled low, rising shakily to his paws on old legs.

A growl rumbled in Whiteblaze's throat at the dark brown elder's reprimand. The gray and white tom glared across the clearing at the ThunderClan elder.

"I think we should stay and fight!" Ashstar waved her dark gray tail for silence. "This territory has been our home for generations! My clan will fight for our home."

"Ashstar, are you sure you don't want to think about it?" Oakstar, the gentle leader of ShadowClan asked. "It could be a rash decision."

"I know what I'm doing, Oakstar. Don't tell me how to lead my clan." Ashstar hissed softly.

The hushed conversations of the clan cats hung like mist in the clearing, a web of anxious voices. High in the branches of the ancient oak tree, the leaders conversed quietly. Staring up at the dark tree, Maplebreeze could make out the forms of all five leaders sitting on a high branch in a circle, their heads bent together in a deep conversation. Straining her ears, she managed to catch part of their conversation.

"What should we do? Either way, we will lose something dear to us. Our territory or our clanmates." A pitch-black form that sounded like Reedstar asked gravely.

"Leaving is our best option." Oakstar cautioned. "It is the height of Newleaf with lush forests and plenty of prey with the promise of a plentiful Greenleaf and a warm Leaf-fall. It is the best time of the year to search for a new territory."

"Did your mother not tell you stories of the Great Journey as a kit, Oakstar?" Ashstar asked scornfully, rising to her paws and pacing along the dark branch. "The clans were forced out of their by twoleg monsters. They wandered for ages, barely clinging to hope! Many cats died or almost did! Do you wish that upon your clan?"

"That's enough, Ashstar. We all know the story of the Great Journey, and no one wants it to happen again." Specklestar intervened calmly. The dark gray WindClan leader hissed with annoyance before sitting down again. "Although, Oakstar does have a point." Specklestar acknowledged. "We would spare many lives leaving peacefully, and there would be abundant food and an extended period to find a new home before Leaf-bare sets in."

"We shouldn't have to live like this," Reedstar muttered. "We are the proud, strong clans and they pathetic rogues. How are they beating us?"

"StarClan knows." Oakstar sighed in defeat. "We need to accept that they have won and go search for a new home before it's too late." The brown leader urged.

"I will never leave my territory!" Ashstar snarled. "You coward can flee, but WindClan will fight for our home and our honor!"

"You're a stubborn old bird, Ashstar," Oakstar growled. "What honor will there be to protect if WindClan is wiped out? Think of your clanmates! Do you want to see them all die?"

Ashstar opened her jaws, ready to retort when Snowstar stepped in, speaking up for the first time. "Moons ago now you sent a patrol to the mountains to find us. You sent a patrol of cats, following a myth, an ancient story that you had no idea if it was true. My clan and I have come to help you, and that's what we shall do. Whatever you do, MountainClan will be alongside you because we came here to help and my cats keep their word. If you chose to fight, we would match you blow for blow. If you select to flee, we will help you carry your kits and support your elders until and assist you until you settle in a new territory. My clanmates a trained and skilled fighters. I sincerely hope that you will stay and fight because with us, you have a chance. I can't make that decision for you, but please give us a chance and we will fight for your home."

The other leaders glanced at each other as Snowstar finished, looking more hopeful. "Thank you, Snowstar." Reedstar meowed formally, dipping his head. "I suggest that we all go back to our camps now, it's getting quite late. I think we should bring our deputies here tomorrow at sunrise and continue our discussion then."

The other leaders nodded agreement and one by one, scrambled down the trunk and gathered their clanmates. Spotting her clanmates head for the tree-bridge, Maplebreeze leaped up to follow them.

"Maplebreeze!" The MountainClan deputy turned swiftly to see her gray and white leader trotting quickly toward her.

"Snowstar? What is is?" Maplebreeze asked, seeing the looking in the leader's gaze that she always had when she had something important to say.

"I don't know if you heard the leaders' conversation, but we are all meeting tomorrow at dawn on this island with our deputies," Snowstar told her.

"Yeah, I overheard that part," Maplebreeze confirmed.

"Good." Was all the MountainClan leader meowed as they joined the throng of cats waiting to cross the tree-bridge. When it was her turn, the golden brown tabby she-cat padded hastily across and leaped down onto the sandy shore.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," A soft voice whispered in her ear. The MountainClan deputy turned to see her ginger and brown mate standing next to her.

"Hey," Maplebreeze turned, giving her mate a swift lick on his cheek as they began to follow their clanmates down the starlit shoreline. The pair trotted in silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the night. Far away, an owl call echoed eerily through the evening. Cricket chirps came from the long grass of WindClan territory, ringing through the hillside. Fireflies danced in the gentle breeze, blinking on and off in the darkness.

"I can't believe the rogues intruded on the gathering." Maplebreeze meowed, breaking the silence as the looming forest of ThunderClan came into view. "This situation is worse than I thought."

"You're right." Brackenstep agreed. "I can't believe that the rogues are giving the clans the choice of leaving the homes that have been theirs' for generations or fight an impossible battle that they are sure to lose."

"Yeah, I overheard Snowstar talking with the other leaders. She told them that whatever the leaders chose to do, MountainClan will help them."

"She's a cat of her word," Brackenstep smiled slightly. "Why do you think the rogues want the clan's land?" Brackenstep asked thoughtfully. "I think I might know why but I want your opinion."

"I don't know." Maplebreeze shrugged. "It could be because they want the land to hunt in, but there is plenty of places outside of clan territory to hunt."

"Some cats get joy from controlling others, feeling like they have power over them. Forcing them to leave or die. Whoever is the leader of the Dark Fangs probably wants to feel in control the clans. I mean the rogues have been terrorizing the clans for moons!" Brackenstep concluded.

"Spiderleap told me that the supposed leader of the rogues is called Strike. He has never been seen, but the rogues seem to fear him." Maplebreeze informed her mate.

"Speaking of Spiderleap, why has he been around you lately?" Brackenstep asked bluntly, sounding both curious and protective.

"He the ThunderClan deputy, so we have discussed sorting patrols and techniques. Why do you ask?" Maplebreeze inquired, puzzled.

Brackenstep was silent for a moment. Taking a deep breath, Brackenstep answered, "Do you think he likes you?" The ginger and brown tom blurted out.

"What?" Maplebreeze asked in surprise. "Why would you ask that?"

"I've seen the way he looks at you, the way he goes out of his way to help you," Brackenstep said in a rush.

"Brackenstep, how could you think that? Of course, he doesn't like me! He knows I'm taken. I despise him too! He is so bossy, gruff and controlling. Besides, I have you, and I would never, ever betray you. I love you, you silly furball." Maplebreeze assured him, pressing herself against her ginger and brown mate.

"Good, I was afraid for a moment," Brackenstep murmured.

"Never be," Maplebreeze whispered back to him. The two followed the long line of exhausted ThunderClan and MountainClan cats away from the beach and into the starlit woods.

. . .

"Maplebreeze! Hey, wake up!" A gruff voice hissed in her as a paw poked her painfully in the ribs. "Wake up!" The voice meowed urgently once again.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake." The golden brown tabby she-cat grumbled, finally opening her eyes. Spiderleap stood over her, his white barely visible in the dim light of the den. "What's the big idea?" Maplebreeze hissed in annoyance. "It's not even sunrise yet!" The MountainClan deputy flicked her tail to the entrance of the den where the horizon was just beginning to get light, and it would be a while until the first rays of the sun showed themselves.

"We have to go to the meeting with the other clans on the island, remember?" Spiderleap grumbled, also sounding irritated. "We have to leave now if we are going to get there by full sunrise. Come on; the leaders are waiting." The black and white tom weaved around the slumbering MountainClan warriors and slipped out of the den.

"Bossy, controlling, furball," Maplebreeze muttered, before following the ThunderClan deputy, still blinking the sleep from her eyes. At the entrance she paused, gazing back enviously at the slumbering forms of her clanmates, packed together in a bramble den that was fashioned next to the warriors' den. All of her clanmates except for the apprentices, who joined the ThunderClan apprentices in their large cave, had rested here for the past few days. With one last longing look at her nest, Maplebreeze padded out into the dark hollow.

The two leader, Spiderleap, along with the ThunderClan warriors, Paleflower and Birchshade, were waiting by the thorn barrier as Maplebreeze trotted over. The golden brown tabby she-cat assumed that the warriors were there in case the rogues made an appearance. Snowstar acknowledged her deputy with a nod and then the four cats hastily loped through the entrance and out into the dim woods.

The leaders and deputies traveled speedily through ThunderClan territory and soon reached the sandy shores of the lake as the sky was beginning to brighten. The sun was fully up as they crossed the tree-bridge and leaped down onto the soft earth of the island. The sun's golden light shimmered and danced on the waters of the lake, a gleaming path of light. Beautifully painted clouds of pink and orange began to fade as the sun rose steadily higher.

Maplebreeze followed Snowstar passed the thick undergrowth and into the shady clearing at the center of the island. Ashstar and Reedstar were already there, sitting at the base of the old oak tree with Graystorm and Shimmerstorm. Six RiverClan and WindClan warriors had taken positions around the edge of the glade. Flicking her tail, Specklestar silently ordered her warriors to take up join the other warriors.

"Good, you all are here," Reedstar called. "We're just waiting for Oakstar and Nightfeather." No sooner than the words had left the RiverClan leader's mouth than Oakstar and his sleek black deputy appeared through the thicket of undergrowth with two ShadowClan warriors trailing behind them. After the warriors has joined the others guarding the perimeter of the clearing. Maplebreeze, along with the other deputies and leaders acceded to the WindClan and RiverClan cats in a circle beneath the high branches of the oak tree. An awkward silence followed each cat unsure where to begin.

"Continuing our discussion from last night," Ashstar began abruptly. "I have spoken with my clan. WindClan will stay and fight for our home and our clanmates. We will not be driven out by a pitiful and unorganized band of rogues. It doesn't matter what you other clans do because WindClan will fight with or without your help. We can hold our own." The dark gray leader meowed, lifting her chin proudly.

"And how well have you been doing that, Ashstar?" Oakstar rasped. "It seems that WindClan has hidden the loss of four of your warriors."

"How many clanmates have you lost, Oakstar?" Ashstar retorted.

"Too many." The elderly tom meowed sorrowfully. Louder, he added, "That's why ShadowClan will be leaving peacefully. My clanmates and I do not wish to lose any more loved ones to a fruitless war."

"You're a cowardly old bat, Oakstar." The gray WindClan leader spat. "What happened to the ShadowClan of old, who mercilessly attacked cats and was always willing to fight?"

"And you're a battle-hungry leader." The mottled dark brown tom accused. "What happened to the peace-loving WindClan cats?" Ashstar merely growled in response, slinking toward the small ShadowClan leader, her eyes narrowed furiously into slits.

"That's enough!" Snowstar intervened. "We are here try to make a decision peacefully, not create more problems."

"Ashstar, come sit back down." Graystorm, the WindClan deputy, advised.

"You'd do well to listen to your deputy." Nightfeather of ShadowClan growled. "I will rip you to shreds if you lay one claw on my leader!" Ashstar hissed in annoyance but obliged.

Reedstar stood up. "I have also spoke with my clan. The majority of my cats also wish to fight." The black RiverClan leader meowed. "As do I and my deputy. We will fight along any cat who wishes to." Shimmerstorm nodded agreement with her leader.

"Good," Ashstar said. "What about the rest of you?" The dark gray she-cat asked, turning to Oakstar, Nightfeather, Specklestar, Spiderleap, Snowstar and Maplebreeze.

"My clan has made its decision. We do not want to lose any more cats." Oakstar said, his gaze hard.

Spiderleap glanced at Specklestar, who was staring thoughtfully at the forest beyond them. A silent exchanged seemed to pass between them before Spiderleap stood and said gruffly, "ThunderClan will fight alongside WindClan and RiverClan." Relief flood through the Reedstar and Ashstar's faces and they both seemed to let out a long breath.

The questioning gazes of all eight cats turned to the corner where Maplebreeze and Snowstar sat quietly. Snowstar turned to her deputy, her eyes inquiring.

"What do you think we should do?" Snowstar whispered.

"I'm not sure. We came here to fight, and I believe we could win with every MountainClan cat helping. But there is always the possibility of losing our clanmates." Maplebreeze breathed. _We may lose our clanmates, but it's a risk we have to take. For the clan's home._

"I agree. We will fight." Snowstar replied, her voice hushed. Turning to the leaders and deputies, expectantly waiting, Snowstar announced, "We will fight alongside WindClan, ThunderClan, and RiverClan."

"Thank you," Specklestar breathed dipping her head to Snowstar and Maplebreeze. "We are glad to have you fight with us."

"You have all decided to fight." At the ShadowClan leader's uncertain voice, all of the clan cats turned to see Oakstar standing nervously at the edge of the crowd. "In times of need, it says in the warrior code that the clans should set aside their differences and help each other. When darkness falls, all clans need to lend a paw. ShadowClan will fight with you."

"Good," Snowstar said grimly. "We must go back to our camps, train our clanmates, reinforce our walls. We must prepare for war."

 **Hi every, as always please read and review! Stay tuned for the next chapter _The Calm Before a Storm._**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	17. Chapter 16: The Calm Before A Storm

**Chapter 16 - The Calm Before A Storm**

"Dodge! Strike! Take advantage of his exposed chest! Good, Frostpaw!" Maplebreeze yowled approvingly as Frostpaw pinned the ThunderClan apprentice, Lightningpaw to the ground for the third time in a row. For the past three days, the ThunderClan and MountainClan had worked from sunrise to sunset, battle training, hunting, patrolling or reinforcing the camp. Every morning, Maplebreeze woke up early and every night she fell went to her nest long after the moon had risen every night.

Maplebreeze sat a mossy clearing near the ThunderClan camp that the ThunderClan cats used for training apprentices. The golden brown tabby she-cat was there, along with Spiderleap to oversee how the seven apprentices' training was progressing. Maplebreeze along with Thrushfang and Sagefrost, who were overseeing Frostpaw and Hawkpaw's training while they were with the clans sat to one side of the mossy glade.

Frostpaw got to her paws, a smile of satisfaction on her face. Shaking the dust from her pure white fur, the MountainClan apprentice strutted haughtily back to her place next to Hawkpaw. Maplebreeze grinned smugly across the clearing at Spiderleap's disbelieving face as Lightningpaw trotted sullenly back to his spot with the other ThunderClan cats. She knew she shouldn't be this competitive with the ThunderClan deputy because they were all on the same side to fight the Dark Fangs, yet a rebellious flame burned within Maplebreeze, making her want to show Spiderleap who was the boss.

"Rematch." Spiderleap meowed deeply. "Frostpaw fought dirty."

"You said that last time and the time before." Maplebreeze crowed triumphantly. "She's beaten Lightingpaw every single time, fair and square. You'll just have to face it; MountainClan apprentices are better at fighting!" Spiderleap sprang to his paws, a growl rumbling in his chest and was about to spring forward.

"Deputies!" Paleflower, a senior warrior of ThunderClan, said sharply. "We are supposed to be assessing the apprentices, and here you two are squabbling like kits! If you remember, today is the last day we have to prepare before we give the rogues our answer so we should use it well, not fighting over petty things! And Spiderleap, you are the ThunderClan deputy, next in line to be the leader of ThunderClan for StarClan's sake! I expect more from you!"

The pale gray she-cat's reprimand made Maplebreeze feel like a kit again, reminding her of being scolded as by Duskblaze, her father, for calling Gorsestep, then Gorsepaw, a bad name because he was teasing her sister Echokit. _We must always treat our other clanmates with respect; Duskblaze told her. Because no matter what they do, they are cats just like us who breathe, drink, and eat. In time, Gorsepaw will come to understand that bullying and teasing other cats is not the way to make friends, only enemies. We must treat him with respect even though he has faults._ Maplebreeze felt a pang of sadness thinking about her father who was killed in a battle along with several others that were with a band of rogues who had settled in the mountains.

"You're right, Paleflower." Spiderleap rumbled, dipping his head to the older she-cat. "We should be focusing on the looming threat and not fighting amongst ourselves. Thank you for pointing that out. I realize that now and I apologize for my part in the squabble."

Maplebreeze felt a stab of fury at Spiderleap's words. He started it all by saying that he didn't think any MountainClan cat could win a fight again a ThunderClan cat! She thought angrily. But I was the one to start the fight, though. A small part of her argued. Be quiet, he's a bossy know-it-all. But a part of her knew that she had was also to blame.

"Alright," Spiderleap meowed, taking charge once more. The black and white tom beckoned all of the apprentices closer. "Lightningpaw, you did well in the fight even though you lost. With the last move, you did before Frostpaw pinned you, what did you do wrong?"

The sleek black tom was sitting at the back of the crowd though for a moment before replying. "I left my chest exposed because I was trying to reach her ear, and then she pushed me down."

"Correct. Next time, don't leave your chest or stomach exposed for long periods. The rogues of the Dark Fangs fight dirty, and they will take any opportunity to pin you down. Now watch this. Cherrycloud, you be the rogue and try to push me down using my chest." Cherrycloud crouched a few tail-lengths from Spiderleap and then sprang, aiming a blow at the ThunderClan deputy's chest. "When they go for your exposed chest, try to dodge or bring your paws down like this…"

. . .

Maplebreeze trotted hastily through the lush, tall trees of the ThunderClan forest at the back of the group of cats returning from assessing the apprentices. Specklestar had asked them to do a quick sweep of the borders before returning to the ThunderClan camp. They had patrolled the WindClan border already without incident and now were half way along the border with unclaimed territory.

 _I can't believe he fought with me like that then apologized not even to me!_ Maplebreeze brooded. _That bossy stuck-up furball! What is his problem? Why does he have to be so controlling?_

The sounds of a scuffle and the hiss of "trespasser!" startled Maplebreeze out of her thoughts. Shouldering her way passed the other cats she stared in disbelief at the giant black and white tom pinned beneath Spiderleap and Larkflight.

"Breezeclaw?" Maplebreeze gaped in shock at her brother. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?"

"Do you know him?" Larkflight asked, looking from Breezeclaw to Maplebreeze.

"Yes, a warrior of MountainClan and my brother. Let him up." Maplebreeze ordered. The two ThunderClan cats backed away, let Breezeclaw clamber to his paws. The black and white MountainClan tom sat down and smoothed his ruffled fur and licked at a couple of shallow scratches on his flanks. "What are you doing here?" Maplebreeze hissed leaning close to Breezeclaw so they other cats wouldn't hear. "How did you find us?"

Breezeclaw let out a long sigh. "Blunt as always, Maplebreeze and directly to the point." The black and white warrior remarked dryly. "We left only a quarter moon after you. It took a while, but following old scent trails and cats who had seen you including two kittypets in the twolegplace and other cats who knew of the clans; we were finally able to locate-"

"Wait, did you say 'we'?" Maplebreeze questioned her brother quickly. "Who else is here with you? Where are they?"

"Right over there and you'll have to see for yourself," Breezeclaw informed her, nodding to where the crowd of ThunderClan and MountainClan cats was clustered around three more newcomers. The MountainClan cats had apparently recognized their clanmates, whoever they were and now Hawkpaw was chattering excitedly with what looked like three cats while Sagefrost and Thrushfang looked on. Maplebreeze hurriedly shouldered her way through the crowd and stopped dead at the three cats who stood in front of her.

"Sorrelpaw? Lakepaw? Emberpaw?" Maplebreeze's jaw dropped at the pitiful sight of her three kits. The three MountainClan apprentices turned, and with excited squeals raced to nuzzle their mother. "What are you doing here?" She asked in disbelief.

"We were worried about you, and we wanted to fight the rogues with the rest of our clanmates!" Sorrelpaw pipped up, gazing up at her mother with eyes that begged her approval.

"We knew Breezeclaw wanted to come, so we asked him if he could go with us to find the clans. I think I was a good decision, right? To bring a warrior with us?" Emberpaw asked, thoughtful as always.

"Wait, Breezeclaw let you come?" Maplebreeze questioned, fury at her brother for letting her kits many the hard journey to find the clans surged through her and she turned an accusing glare on her black and white brother.

"You let them come?" Maplebreeze hissed and to her greater anger only shrugged. _How can he just shrug? He let my kits on a dangerous journey that was hard for experiments warriors! He put them in danger! They could have died or been injured or trapped, or StarClan knows what else! That thick furball! How does he not get it!_ "We will speak later!" Maplebreeze hissed quietly so no one else could hear, before turning back to her kits.

Maplebreeze looked her kits over, taking it their muddy paws and knotted pelts with twigs and leaves clinging here and there. "Look at all three of you! You're filthy!" The golden brown tabby she-cat chided them, beginning to flick Lakepaw furiously, picking out stray leaves and twigs as she went.

Maplebreeze felt the hot stares of the other cats who had witnessed her family dispute but ignored them, busying herself with the long task of cleaning her three kits. Lakepaw let her lick without protest, and the MountainClan deputy couldn't help but notice that her youngest kit was more quiet and than usual. I'll definitely have to check in with her. Maplebreeze noted.

Spiderleap cleared his throat. "Okay, should we head back to camp. I'm sure the leaders will want to hear about the new arrivals." He asked, more to Maplebreeze than anyone else. The golden tabby she-cat gave a curt nod, and the others murmured agreement. Without another word, Maplebreeze beckoned to her kits and trotted in the direction of camp, the others falling in behind.

The patrol slipped into the ThunderClan camp was halfway down its descent. The golden light spilled onto the trees that grew around the rim of the stone hollow, leaving lacy leaf-shaped shadows waving on the earth floor. Both clan cats peered curiously at the strange new cats who were escorted into the camp by the patrol. The patrol broke apart, the ThunderClan cats heading back to their dens and Cherrycloud headed toward Snowstar's den to report the patrol.

"Wow, Maplebreeze!" Sorrelpaw chirped. "I can't believe Twolegs actually made this hollow. It is even bigger than you said on the way!"

"Yeah," Maplebreeze grinned at her tortoiseshell kit, despite the anger at her brother that was still bubbling inside of her. "Welcome to the ThunderClan camp, you three."

"Breezeclaw? What are you doing here?" Gorsestep bounded forward to greet his black and white friend.

"You'll have to wait until I tell you." Breezeclaw joked, and the pair padded away to a corner of the camp. Maplebreeze snorted in disgust. Immature and arrogant as always, Breezeclaw.

"Emberpaw? Sorrelpaw? Lakepaw?" Brackenstep trotted over, his gaze concerned. "What in StarClan's name are you three doing here? You're supposed to be with our clanmates back in our territory in the mountains!" The ginger and golden brown tom turned his inquiring gaze on Maplebreeze.

"I'll tell you later." Maplebreeze breathed, stepping closer to her mate.

"Regardless, I'm glad you three are safe." Brackenstep purred, touching noses with each of his kits. "Now why don't you go talk to your clanmates, they look excited to see you." Brackenstep pointed with his nose to where a crowd of their clanmates was waiting at a respectful distance while the Maplebreeze's family talked privately.

"Okay, thank Brackenstep," Sorrelpaw smiled and bounced over to talk with their friends, her littermates on her tail.

"So, how did they get here and what are they doing here?" Brackenstep questioned turning his piercing yellow eyes on Maplebreeze.

"So, based on what Breezeclaw, Sorrelpaw, and Emberpaw told me, they were worried about us and wanted to help fight the rogues. They talked to Breezeclaw, and he said he would take them. They left about a quarter moon after us, but it took longer for them because they didn't know exactly where they were going so after following some old scent trails and asking cats who had seen us they managed to find us."

"Breezeclaw not only allowed them to come, but he also brought them himself?" Brackenstep meowed, his tail lashing and eyes filled with outrage. "How dare he? He led our kits into dangerous unexplored territory that was dangerous even for a group of trained warriors! That arrogant, insolent, dim-witted, coward!"

"I know. I can't believe he's my brother. Ever since our sister Echopaw was taken by an eagle when they were hunting alone, he hasn't been the same. Breezeclaw and Echopaw were exceptionally close, and she looked up to him for protecting her from Gorsestep who always bullied her. But then, he goes and becomes best friends with Gorsestep. I will never understand him." Maplebreeze said grimly.

"Someone needs to talk to him. He needs to realize the danger he put our kits and himself in." Brackenstep decided, calmer now.

"When Snowstar gets wind of this, she probably will," Maplebreeze assured her mate. "You know how she has no tolerance for boar-headed cats like him, especially her cats are put in danger that they need not be. If she doesn't, I definitely will."

"Good. Breezeclaw needs to realize that he took three untrained and inexperienced apprentices on a journey that was dangerous for a large group of warriors. I'm surprised and relieved that one of them didn't get hurt." Brackenstep shook his head gravely.

"Yes, but something good has come of this. We can finally see our kits again. I've missed them a lot. Sorrelpaw's excitement and constant questions, Lakepaw's quiet observations and Emberpaw's thoughtfulness." Maplebreeze smiled watching her three kits chatting with their clanmates and friends.

"I'm glad to see them again too." Brackenstep murmured, draped his tail over Maplebreeze's shoulders. The pair of cats watched the MountainClan cats mill around their corner of the stone hollow, Sorrelpaw, Emberpaw, and Lakepaw the center of attention. Sorrelpaw was chatting excitedly, surrounded by several apprentices and young warriors. With elaborate gestures, the tortoiseshell she-cat looked to be giving an extensive account of their journey. Emberpaw looked more lively than usual and was talking with his friend Hawkpaw off to the side. Lakepaw looked lonely, standing off to the side at the edge of the crowd. Maplebreeze was glad to see Fernbreeze pad up to her daughter, and the she-cats start talking quietly.

"The sun is setting, it'll be dusk soon." Brackenstep mused. "The leaders will have sent out the patrol soon to meet the rogues."

"Yeah, Snowstar will probably want my help to decide who will go so I'd better find you. See you later." Maplebreeze gave Brackenstep a quick lick on his ear and then trotted away to find her gray and white leader.

"Maplebreeze!" The golden brown tabby she-cat turned to see Spiderleap loping toward her.

With a sigh, Maplebreeze asked, "Yes, Spiderleap?"

"The leaders are deciding who should go to meet the rogues of the Dark Fangs." Spiderleap meowed. Glancing up at the sun, he continued, "The sun is setting, we don't have much time."

"Alright," Maplebreeze replied and followed the ThunderClan deputy across the clearing to where Snowstar and Specklestar sat at the base of the Highledge. Sitting down, Maplebreeze joined closed the small circle.

"So, I think we are all in agreement that we should each send four warriors." Snowstar was saying. "That should be enough of force to overcome the Rogues combined with the other leaders."

"Yes, but the question is who to send?" Specklestar meowed thoughtfully.

"The warriors must be brave and clear-headed as not to get riled up if the rogues goad them," Maplebreeze advised. "I suggest Thrushfang and Stoneshade. They are brave, even-tempered warriors."

"Yes, I agree." Snowstar meowed, flashing Maplebreeze an approving glance. "I will send Morningfrost as well and-"

"Snowstar, I would like to go as well. I want to see these rogues up close." Maplebreeze requested.

"Alright, just be careful." Snowstar meowed seriously.

"That just leaves ThunderClan," Specklestar said, turning to her deputy. "Spiderleap, who do you recommend?"

The black and white warrior thought for a moment before replying. "I believe that we should send Icefern, Birchshade, Paleflower, and Larkflight. They will be able to keep the peace."

"Good decision. We must hurry if we are to get there by the rogue's deadline." Snowstar meowed grimly. "We can't waste any more time. Spiderleap, gather the warriors."

. . .

Maplebreeze hurried through the dim forest, the warriors of MountainClan and ThunderClan in her heels. The day way dying fast as the sun slipped below the horizon, it was almost the rogue's deadline. They were almost to the ThunderClan and ShadowClan border with an unclaimed territory, where the rogues had told them to wait.

"Hurry up; we are almost there!" She urged the other cats and stepped up the pace to a sprint.

"What do you think they will do?" Stoneshade panted, his chest heaving.

Maplebreeze glanced at the stone-gray warrior racing alongside her. "They probably will show and when they deliver them our answer they should hopefully leave peacefully."

"And if they most likely declare war, what then?" Stoneshade asked anxiously, his blue eyes concerned.

"StarClan help us all." Maplebreeze shook her head gravely then turned to focus on running. After another moment or two of swift dashing, the group of warriors burst through a thicket of trees and skidded to a stop at the edge of a small glade where the corners of ShadowClan and ThunderClan territory met unexplored land.

"This must be the place," Maplebreeze said to no one in particular, breathing heavily. The representatives from ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan were already there, four or five warriors from each clan sat in small groups. The dark forest was silent, no birds calls or frogs croaked or crickets singing, and a grim and suspenseful tension filled the air, almost as if the whole forest was holding its breath.

Maplebreeze spotted Nightfeather among the ShadowClan cats and Graystorm among the WindClan cats. Dustflame and Mistyshine were also among the representatives of their clans. She gave each of them a small nod as the ThunderClan and MountainClan cats sat down to wait.

It was almost entirely dark when Maplebreeze smelled the faint scent of rogues on the soft breeze. "I think they're here." The golden brown tabby she-cat whispered to Thrushfang and Morningfrost who sat on either side of her. Peering intently into the dark bushes, Maplebreeze spotted a pair of yellow eyes glinting in the moonlight. The other clan cats must have smelled the rogues because heads turned and warriors rose to their feet, pelts bristling.

A dark gray tom with shredded ears emerged around the yellow eyes and padded into a patch of moonlight.

"Ash." Icefern hissed from two tail-lengths away, her voice full of hatred for the Dark Fangs second-in-command. The dark gray tom smiled, a cunning, evil, grin as more rogues emerged silently from the bushes, a dozen in all. Although, Maplebreeze thought she could see a flash of red fur and a gray tail moving in the bushes, hints that there were more cats, hidden in case the clan cats made a bold move.

"So, you have come to your decision?" Ash's rough voice like a knife scraping across stone was loud in the silent night.

"Yes," Nightfeather said boldly, padding forward out of the protection of her clanmates. "ShadowClan chooses to fight."

A look flashed through Ash's eyes, a surprised look that the weakened ShadowClan would choose to fight. Before Maplebreeze could be sure the dark gray tom's yellow eyes hardened again, fixed on Nightfeather with a steely glare.

But before Ash could say a word, Graystorm also padded forward. "WindClan will also fight. We won't let any rogues take our territory!" Graystorm declared, his amber eyes narrowed.

"RiverClan will also fight," Mistyshine added, stepping out of the knot of five RiverClan warriors, sounding stronger than she looked. Shock flooded through Maplebreeze when she finally got a good look at the long-haired gray she-cat. Mistyshine was much thinner than when Maplebreeze had last seen her, her fur was unkempt, and several fresh scars were cut into her hair. Now, looking at the other RiverClan cats, Maplebreeze spotted several fresh wounds, and all of them were skinnier than the WindClan cats. They must have been attacked by the rogue lately. Those lousy excuses for cats must be stealing all of their prey!

"Alight. Three clans will fight. No matter we can still defeat you." Ash growled. Turning to the cluster of ThunderClan and MountainClan cats he spat, "What say ThunderClan and this pitiful excuse for a group of cats?"

Her clanmates around her bristled, but Maplebreeze was relieved that none of them responded and that they hadn't brought Gorestep or Nettlewhisker along. "MountainClan will fight alongside the other clans!" Maplebreeze announced, padding a few steps forward.

"As will ThunderClan." Paleflower, the eldest warrior of the ThunderClan representatives meowed, coming to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Maplebreeze.

Ash stared at them for a moment before throwing back his head and letting out a sharp laugh. "Very well." The dark gray tom grew serious again and fixed each of the cats who had spoken for their clans with a piercing glare. "You all have decided to fight. Bring this message to your leaders. We will fight you, and we will win. You will wish you had decided to flee." With a flick of his tail, the dark gray tom spun around and slunk into the bushes, his warriors following.

Maplebreeze blinked in confusion. She had expected that the rogues would have taken the answers poorly, and there would have been a fight. Sniffing just to be sure that they were gone, she smelled nothing but the scents of trees, nocturnal animals and the quickly fading scents of the rogues. They had gone.

The golden brown tabby she-cat turned and combed her eyes through the cats, now milling together in the clearing, for a particular gray Riverclan warrior. Maplebreeze spotted her friend sitting hunched against a tree trunk on the other side of the glade.

"Hey, Mistyshine," Maplebreeze said, softly trotting over to the RiverClan she-cat.

"Oh, hi, Maplebreeze." Mistyshine greeted her.

"I couldn't help but notice that you and your clanmates are thin and have fresh wounds. Is this the work of the Dark Fangs?" Maplebreeze asked with genuine concern, taking a seat next to her friend on the soft spring grass.

"Yes." Mistyshine meowed seriously, then let out a small chuckle, a sad attempt at cheering herself up. "It seems that they have developed a taste for fish!"

Maplebreeze sympathetically draped her tail over Mistyshine's shoulders unsure of what to say.

"Why do they do this?" Mistyshine cried with a shake of her gray head. "Why must they attack us? For a while, there was a lull in the attacks, and I thought they had truly left. But after the gathering and the demand that we leave, they began to attack again, this time targeting all of our hunting patrols. And now, they have openly declared war. I don't know what to do."

"I know." Maplebreeze murmured. "Since the gathering, there hasn't been any more attacks. I was hoping that they had gone. It was a foolish hope." Maplebreeze let out a wry laugh. "It's been like the calm before a storm, these past few days. Now the storm is soon to hit because they have declared open war. War is coming, and we must all be ready."

 **Hi, everyone! Sorry, it's been a while so here is a long chapter for you today. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, I enjoyed reading them! They make me want to keep writing. I will be responding to my reviews with PMs and for guests, I respond after every chapter. I hoped you enjoyed it! As always please review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	18. Chapter 17: One Step Too Far

**Chapter 17**

"Good job, everyone," Maplebreeze meowed, setting down her plump bluejay. "We have a good haul to bring back to camp." The rest of the hunting patrol, a mix of MountainClan and ThunderClan cats looked pleased with themselves, fat Newleaf prey hanging from their jaws. In the half moon since the meeting with the Dark Fangs, the climate had warmed, the leaves and flowers opening and the lush forests filling with plump and slow prey. Greenleaf was almost here.

The newly blossomed leaves, high above their heads shaded them from the hot sun which now beat down from out of the day. Life should have been good, plenty of prey, gentle rain falling to help Pebblefur's herbs grow, streams overflowing, new life around every corner, even new life in the ThunderClan camp. An older queen named Honeynose had given birth to her second litter, two toms called Runningkit, who was the exact copy of his father, Timberstep, who had died in a skirmish with the rogues and Berrykit, a golden and white tabby like his mother with his father's bright green eyes. Dawnkit was the only she-kit and the youngest of the litter, her pelt gray and golden like the clouds before a sunrise.

Even though Greenleaf was on the horizon, the rogues were a dark plague in the bright times. They had continued to attack the clans as fiercely as before, slowly weakening them. The news the borders patrols brought back from the other clans was grim and it seemed as though the clans would be vanquished. Despite the plentiful prey, the clans were slowly starving. The rogues had started attacking hunting patrols, stealing almost every piece of prey the patrol had caught and leaving them empty pawed. If they were lucky, the rogues wouldn't find them and there would actually be something to fill the poor kits' bellies that night.

 _I will not let those rogues get our prey!_ Maplebreeze thought fiercely. "Everyone, be on high alert. I will not let the Dark Fangs cats have our prey." The golden brown tabby she-cat ordered. Picking up her jay, she led the way toward the stone hollow. The other cats fell in behind her, Gorsestep and Sparrowshade walked side by side, Gorsestep held a fat squirrel and Nettlewhisker with two birds. Lakepaw and Skypaw came next, the ThunderClan apprentice held two mice and Lakepaw, still not quite getting the hang of forest hunting, clutched small shrew. Cherrycloud brought up the rearing holding big blackbird.

The hunting patrol traveled quickly along a small stream that wove through a series of small rolling hills near the WindClan border. Yellow rays of sunlight of early afternoon shone through layers of heart-shaped birch leaves, outlining them in gold above their heads. They moved swiftly, keeping a sharp lookout for the rogues. Maplebreeze felt a twinge of hopefulness as they neared the ThunderClan camp. _We might be able to actually get the prey back to camp! Both clans need it badly._

A shrill battle cry rang across the hills, and a group of rogues appeared around the trees and sprinted toward them, more than half a dozen in all. The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats turned in surprise and quickly readied themselves for a fight.

"How did they find us?" Maplebreeze gasped, gaping at the rapidly nearing rogues. Never mind that. It's time to protect our prey. "Hide your catches!" She ordered the other cats. "They know we are a hunting patrol and they are here for our prey. The clans need it!" The golden brown tabby she-cat quickly stowed her bluejay between her paws and looked up in time to see a skinny misty gray tom spring at her. Maplebreeze stepped to one side, letting his soar right past her and then before he could turn, leaped onto the rogue's back and used her weight to force him to the ground. She delivered a few quick bites to his neck and shoulders to finish him off. Letting him up, Maplebreeze made sure that he fled, blood welling where she had bit him.

Gazing around her Maplebreeze saw that the battle was mostly even now, six on seven. Sparrowshade fought a slim bramble brown and white she-cat, his strength a good match for her speed. Lakepaw and Skypaw worked together to drive another gray tom towards the slippery banks of the stream.

A shrill cry for help caught Maplebreeze's attention. Her golden brown head whipped around to see Gorsestep pinned by three rogues.

"Re-orr!" Maplebreeze yowled a battle cry and raced to Gorsestep's aid. Sinking her claws into a sandy yellow tom she yanked him off if her clanmate. Hissing with surprise, the tom spun to face her and lashed out one yellow paw. Maplebreeze dodged too late and the rogue's claws ripped painful through the skin on her shoulder. Snarling, she ducked out of the way of another attack and rolling to the side managed to clumsily dig her claws into his ribs. The sandy tom howled with pain and lashed out powerfully at her ear. He made contact and threw her off balance. Maplebreeze staggered and before she could get her balance back, the rogue used weight of her shoulder to throw her on the ground. Maplebreeze turned managed to twist around onto her belly as the yellow tom planted one forepaw on her shoulder and another on her stomach, pinning her with an iron grip.

 _He's an extremely good fighter for a rogue._ She thought grudgingly, staring into the tom's amber eyes. _Fast and strong. But is he smart?_ Pretending to give up, Maplebreeze let her muscles go limp. Foolishly, the rogue relaxed his paws. With a grunt, Maplebreeze kicked her hind legs upward, forcing him off of her. Instantly she was back on her paws and expertly pinned him down, giving the tom a few harsh bites to finish him off. The tom struggled weaker than before and Maplebreeze let him up.

"Dark Fangs, to me! Grab the prey and retreat!" The sandy yellow tom called, grabbing Maplebreeze's unguarded bluejay and fleeing in the direction of unclaimed territory. The seven other rogues left their opponents, gleefully clutching their prizes in their jaws.

Maplebreeze glanced around quickly to make sure everyone was okay. The apprentices, Lakepaw and Skypaw had a few scratches each, but none too deep. Sparrowshade had a concerning bite on his neck, but otherwise the tom was unscathed. Cherrycloud's ear was torn at the tip and blood was running down her face and a few clumps of fur were missing along her spine. Gorsestep was the worst, a mess of scratches and bloody brown hair and one eye was swollen shut.

"Come on! Let's see if we can catch them!" Maplebreeze flicked her tail to Cherrycloud and Skypaw and sprinted into the bushes. The three she-cat presumed the rogues, following the fresh scent trail all of the way to the border with WindClan.

"The scent trail is gone." Cherrycloud reported, her nose to the ground. They had reached the banks of the stream that made the border with WindClan.

"They must have jumped the steam and cut through WindClan territory to throw us off their trail." Maplebreeze mused. "And of course, we can't cross the border."

"WindClan might let us, just this time, but I can't smell anything from here." Cherrycloud replied. "Maybe they ran through the steam, using the water to wash away their scent?"

"It's possible and then we would have no way of finding them." Maplebreeze sighed warily. "Come on, let's find the others and go back to camp." The golden brown tabby she-cat turned to head back to to the forest, Cherrycloud following.

"Ah!" Maplebreeze gasped. A sharp, hot pain whipped up her shoulder as she stepped forward.

"Are you alright?" Cherrycloud asked anxiously, peering at the MountainClan deputy.

"Yeah, I'm okay. My shoulder is just a little sore." Maplebreeze replied, unconcerned. Cherrycloud nodded, reassured and followed Maplebreeze into the forest.

"Wait!" Skypaw called, trotting out from a maze of reeds along the stream bank. "Look what I found!"

Maplebreeze turned to see Skypaw clutching her bluejay, it was a little soggy and a few feathers were missing, but still edible. "Where did you find that?" Maplebreeze asked the young gray apprentice in surprise.

"I found it in the reeds along the river bank! The rogues must have discarded it." Skypaw meowed proudly.

"Good. Let's bring that back to camp and give it to the queens." Cherrycloud instructed her apprentice.

"Come one, let's see if we can catch any more prey on the way back to camp. Hopefully, we will have more good luck." With a flick of her tail, Maplebreeze led the three cats back into the sunlit forest.

The cats slipped quietly in single file through the thorn tunnel and into the camp. Maplebreeze's legs and shoulder ached as she padded slowly toward the fresh-kill pile, the mouse she had managed to catch, hanging from her jaws. The wounds on her shoulder and ear had stopped bleeding, and it was only little a while ago that she had realized they were there.

Scenting the returning hunting patrol, the ThunderClan and MountainClan cats trotted eagerly out of their dens and quickly related when they saw that only half of the cats were carrying prey. Behind, her Cherrycloud padded with a rabbit clutched from her mouth. Skypaw with the bluejay trotting alongside her mentor. Setting her mouse down in the fresh-kill pile, she trotted toward Specklestar's den to make her report.

"Take the rabbit to the queens." Maplebreeze heard Cherrycloud tell Skypaw as she bounded up the tumble of rocks and stopped at the entrance to the leader's den at the back of the Highledge.

Specklestar's scent was fresh, so she called into the darkness, "Specklestar? It's Maplebreeze. I've come to give you may report on the hunting patrol."

"Come in." Snowstar's voice replied. Maplebreeze slipped into the dim den to see both leaders waiting, looking as if they had been deep in conversation. Specklestar gestured with her tail to the sandy floor, for Maplebreeze to sit.

Taking a seat, the golden brown tabby she-cat began grimly, "Rogues attacked my hunting patrol. We managed to drive them off, but the got all of our prey. No one was severely injured, but Pebblefur or Birdpaw should look at all of our wounds. Cherrycloud, Skypaw, and I chased them to the WindClan border where they vanished into unclaimed territory. On the way back to camp, we caught some more prey and the queens and elders have enough prey."

Glancing at Specklestar, the MountainClan leader meowed, "Thank you, Maplebreeze. This is grim news. Our patrols are being attacked more and more. We will have to be more careful."

"I agree. Maybe we should send larger hunting patrols to fight the rogues." Specklestar said thoughtfully to Snowstar. Turning, the Thunderclan leader looked Maplebreeze over, her gaze lingering on the golden brown tabby she-cat's bloody ear and wounded shoulder. "You should go get your injuries checked by the medicine cats. You don't want that shoulder infected."

"I will right away." Maplebreeze dipped her head to both leaders and slipped from the den. Scrambling down the stones, she padded to the medicine cat's den, a cave cut into the rocky sides of the hollow, the entrance covered with a screen of brambles. Poking her head inside Maplebreeze saw an expansive cave. Three nests made of ferns and bracken sat together to one side, against the stone wall. Across from them, water dripped down from the ceiling into a small sunlit pool. Herbs were tucked in small groups in crevices and were piled on the sandy earth. Pebblefur stood in the center of the den, sniffing at the deep cut on Nettlewhisker's neck. Skypaw was sitting in one of the nests having Birdpaw dress her scratches. Lakepaw was waiting beside the other apprentice, her wounds covered with cobwebs.

"Hey, Lakepaw," Maplebreeze meowed. "Are you okay?" She asked, nosing her daughter's injuries.

"I'm alright." Lakepaw murmured. "Birdpaw said my scratches will heal soon."

"You fought well during the skirmish." Maplebreeze praised. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Lakepaw assured her mother, avoiding Maplebreeze's searching amber gaze.

"Good. I need to get my wounds looked at, but I will talk you to later, okay?" Maplebreeze replied, looking concerned.

"Alright." Lakepaw mumbled and trotted quickly out of the den.

 _I wonder what's going on with her?_ Maplebreeze thought, distressed, watching Lakepaw's gray tail disappear around the bramble screen. She's always been quiet and kept to herself, but she had been doing that more lately. Something is wrong; I just can't put my paw on it.

"Maplebreeze!" Pebblefur's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "I can look at our wounds now."

"Alright," The golden brown tabby she-cat meowed, trotting over to the gray dappled ThunderClan medicine cat. Maplebreeze took a seat on the dusty ground and let Pebblefur take a look at the scratches on her ear and shoulder. _Should I tell them about my shoulder?_ Looking around at the den, she saw Birdpaw busily collecting herbs from the crevices in the walls to treat Skypaw. Cherrycloud and Gorestep were waiting to have their scratches treated along with a long-haired gray elder who was favoring one paw and Maplebreeze didn't know whose name was. _No, they have enough to do and worry about already. I'll be okay._

A little while later, Maplebreeze trotted out of the cave, her wounds dressed with marigold to prevent infection and cobwebs to cover the cuts. Sniffing at a hanging cobweb out of her eyes and ignoring the still evident pain in her shoulder, she scanned the clearing for Brackenstep. She spotted Nettlewhisker and Morningfrost laying together in a patch of sunlight, talking with Molefoot and Cherrycloud. In a corner of the clearing, right where the stone walls fell away and was replaced by a thick thorn barrier, Whiteblaze and Gorestep sat side by side, deep in conversation. _I wonder why the two clan bullies are getting so friendly? What do they even have to talk about?_

"Maplebreeze!" The MountainClan she-cat turned in surprise to see a tortoiseshell shape flying at her, bowling her over. "You're back!"

"Sorrelpaw, you're crushing me. Please get off." Maplebreeze gasped, pain filling her shoulder again as she stared into her eldest kit's bright green eyes.

"Oh, sorry!" Sorrelpaw apologized, backing off her mother. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, and my wounds are okay. They will heal soon." Maplebreeze smiled, reassuringly licking the top of Sorrelpaw's head. "If you want to worry about anyone, worry about your sister. I have noticed that she has been quieter and withdrawn lately. Have you observed anything different about Lakepaw? I'm worried about her."

The MountainClan apprentice thought for a moment then replied with a shrug. "No, I haven't really noticed her doing anything unusual. Lakepaw seems the same to me."

"Okay, thanks, Sorrelpaw." Maplebreeze replied. _I'll have to ask Emberpaw as well. He is more in tune with Lakepaw's emotions. I hope he has noticed what I have or even better, knows the reason._

"I can't believe you fought the rogues! I still haven't seen them on any patrols I have gone on. You're incredibly lucky!" Sorrelpaw gushed. "When I fight them, I will show them how tough MountainClan warriors fight! Now that I'm seven moons old, I am bigger, faster, and stronger! They will never know what hit them!" The tortoiseshell apprentice rolled around on the ground, pretending to claw invisible enemies.

"Wait, you're seven moons old already?" Maplebreeze asked, hardly believing her ears.

"Yeah." Sorrelpaw sounded confused. "I thought you knew. You're our mother after all."

"I must have forgotten. I'm sorry, Sorrelpaw." Maplebreeze meowed. "You all were seven moons last quarter moon, right? Only a few days after the Gathering." The golden brown tabby she-cat murmured, more to herself than Sorrelpaw. Internally, she kicked herself with frustration. In all the chaos over the past moon, she had completely forgotten that her kits' monthly birthday was five days after the full moon.

"It's okay, Maplebreeze." Sorrelpaw meowed, pressing herself against her mother. Maplebreeze purred lovingly wrapped her tail around her daughter's flanks.

"Sorrelpaw! Battle training!" Nettlewhisker shouted from across the clearing.

The MountainClan apprentice broke away from her mother. "I got to go; it's time to beat Frostpaw at battle training." Sorrelpaw chirped, a glimmer in her pale green eyes as she bounded over to Nettlewhisker, Stoneshade, who had resumed mentorship of Lakepaw and Emberpaw and had agreed to help mentor Sorrelpaw, as her mentor was still in the mountains. Frostpaw, Hawkpaw, Emberpaw, and Lakepaw, along with Thrushfang and Sagefrost were waiting by the thorn entrance. The afternoon sunlight outlined the nine cats as the MountainClan warriors and apprentices headed toward the mossy clearing where the ThunderClan apprentices trained for battle.

Maplebreeze pivoted around, her keen eyes searching the stone hollow for Brackenstep. She finally spotted him emerging from the nursery where she assumed he had been visiting Honeynose and her three newborn kits.

"Brackenstep!" Maplebreeze called softly, trotting over to her mate.

"Maplebreeze." The light brown and ginger tabby tom stated. "What's wrong? What happened?" Brackenstep gestured with his tail to the cobwebs draped over the wounds on her shoulder and ear.

"It's nothing. I'm alright." Maplebreeze flicked her tail dismissively.

"You don't look fine. Remember, I trained as a medicine cat apprentice before I switched to warrior training. I can tell you're hurting." Brackenstep reminded his golden brown mate. "You're favoring your right shoulder where the wound is. Did you tell Pebblefur or Birdpaw that it hurts?"

"No," Maplebreeze replied quietly with a twitch of her whiskers. "The medicine cats were so busy with the other injured cats, and my shoulder doesn't hurt that badly, so I didn't want to give them another thing to do."

"Well, I don't want to your to injure your shoulder more. If you fight again or do anything else to strain it, you could end up in a worse situation that you are now. Better to have it looked at now before the pain gets worse." Brackenstep chided, draping his tail over her shoulders and leading her across the clearing toward the medicine cat's den.

"Really, I'm fine!" Maplebreeze insisted, shrugging his tail off.

"No, you're not. Look at yourself; I can tell your shoulder hurts you." Brackenstep argued.

"I'm fine! Why can't you take that for an answer?" Maplebreeze yelled, frustration and helplessness fueling the hot fire of her anger. Several cats turned and stared at the pair of them curiously, startled by Maplebreeze's outburst.

Brackenstep stared at her for a moment, stunned. Then he meowed softly, "I'm sorry if I'm too pushy. I care about you, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Maplebreeze sighed, the fire inside of her calming down. "It's alright. I'm sorry I yelled. This whole thing with the rogues had been extremely stressful. I'll get my shoulder checked out." The golden brown tabby she-cat turned to pad into the medicine cat's den when Brackenstep called after her.

"Maplebreeze, what's really going on? I can tell that there is something other than the Dark Fangs cats attacking bothering you. What is it?" Brackenstep quietly called after her.

Padding back to Brackenstep, she motioned with her tail for him to follow her to a patch of ferns near the apprentices' den. "I am anxious about Lakepaw. She has been more quiet and aloof lately. When I ask her what's wrong, she avoids the question and just says that she is fine. But she is definitely not. I don't know what's wrong with her."

The light brown and ginger tom blinked with surprise and looked thoughtful for a moment. "We will definitely have to talk to her. I can't believe I didn't notice anything different about her." Brackenstep sounded angry at himself.

"I know. We should talk to her as soon as possible. I'm worried about her." Maplebreeze meowed, her voice tight with worry.

"I want to speak to Lakepaw as soon as possible." Brackenstep meowed grimly.

"Yes. How about tonight?"

"Good. How about we go get your shoulder looked at?" Brackenstep asked, trying to lighten the conversation.

"Okay." Maplebreeze agreed. The pair headed toward the medicine cat and slipped inside the cold cave.

"Pebblefur?" Maplebreeze called, peering into the dim room.

"Oh, hi Maplebreeze," Birdpaw chirped, emerged from the shadows at the back of the den, setting down her bundle of herbs wrapped in a beech leaf. "Pebblefur isn't here. We ran out of goldenrod, and we need more horsetail and cobwebs, so he had to look by the abandoned twoleg den. With all of the attacks on the border patrols and injured cats coming in and out of here daily, Pebblefur and I are exhausted, and supplies are running low. It's been tough for us medicine cats, with all of the warriors going and getting yourself injured…" Birdpaw trailed off, weariness evident in her voice. Straightening up, she continued, "Sorry. It's been exhausting. What do you need?"

"I didn't want to tell you earlier because you and Pebblefur were busy with the other injured cats, but my wounded shoulder has been hurting, and it's not my wound. I think I wrenched it or something." Maplebreeze explained.

"Okay, let me look at it," Birdpaw responded. The slim brown tabby she-cat sniffed at Maplebreeze's shoulder. "Where does it hurt?"

"Right below the scratch on my shoulder," Maplebreeze answered.

"Okay, does it hurt when I touch it like this?" Birdpaw inquired, gently poking her shoulder.

"Ow!" Maplebreeze flinched as pain raced up her shoulder again.

"Alright, it's just a bad bruise. There isn't anything I can do for it because it will have to heal on its own. I can give you a poppy seed or two if the pain is preventing you from sleeping, but other than that I can't do anything. Tell me if the pain gets worse." Birdpaw meowed confidently.

"Thanks, Birdpaw," Maplebreeze smiled at the young MountainClan apprentice. Birdpaw had come a long way from the timid apprentice who had been too shy to come out of the nursery and hid behind her brother. Now the slim brown tabby she-cat was much more self-assured in her position as an accomplished medicine cat apprentice.

"Wow, I didn't realize how late it had gotten," Brackenstep commented, gazing at the setting sun as the stepped outside the cave.

"Yeah, it's half moon, right?" Maplebreeze replied, looking at the fading sky.

"Oh, my stars!" Birdpaw pushed her way out of the den and stared at the heavens. "I've been so busy that I've completely forgotten that it's time to go to the Moonpool! I've got to find Pebblefur!" The MountainClan medicine cat apprentice rushed toward the entrance. Turning her head, she called after her, "Thanks for reminding me! Bye!"

Brackenstep chuckled lightly. "She's always been a little scatterbrained, hasn't she?"

"Yeah. Do you think they will be alright? The rogues could attack them at any time." Maplebreeze worried.

"I'm sure they will be all right." Brackenstep meowed. "I don't think the rogues even know what the Moonpool is."

"They know about StarClan." Maplebreeze meowed grimly, recalling what Ash had said about StarClan not being there much longer at the Gathering. "Still, I'm going to send a couple of warriors after Birdpaw to protect her and the other medicine cats." Scanning the clearing she saw Nettlewhisker and Morningfrost resting in a patch of orange sunlight from the setting sun. Dewstorm was finishing mouse nearby, by the entrance to the ThunderClan warrior's den as Paleflower trotted out of the den.

"Morningfrost? Paleflower? Dewstorm?" Maplebreeze called three warriors. The MountainClan cats and ThunderClan warrior turned their attention to her. "Would you three accompany the Pebblefur and Birdpaw to the Moonpool to make sure rogues don't attack them?"

"Sure," Morningfrost meowed, standing up and stretching.

"Okay, where are they?" Dewstorm stood as well, a troubled look on his face.

"Birdpaw went to the abandoned twoleg den to find Pebblefur. You'll probably find them there or on their way to WindClan territory. Be careful, today the rogues disappeared around WindClan territory. They could be anywhere." Maplebreeze informed them.

"Let's go." Dewstorm meowed and swiftly led the she-cats out of the camp and into the darkening forest.

"Okay, now do you think they'll be alright?" Brackenstep asked jokingly, his meow light as he loped up beside her.

Maplebreeze watched the three cats vanish into the night. "I hope so." The golden brown tabby she-cat turned, tail flicking worriedly, to head back to the MountainClan warrior's den.

"Dark Fangs attack!" Maplebreeze jolted awake at the sound of Larkflight's warning yowl. The golden brown tabby she-cat raced out of the den, Brackenstep beside her and the other MountainClan warriors on her tail, expecting to see the clearing flooded with ferocious rogues. Instead, Larkflight, Feathernose, and Stoneshade the three cats who were supposed to stand watch that night were leading a patrol of injured cats into the hollow.

Staring at the five cats, Maplebreeze recognized who they were. Birdpaw, Pebblefur, Dewstorm, Morningfrost, and Paleflower stood before the swelling crowd of MountainClan and ThunderClan cats, deep scratches crisscrossing their fur.

"What happened?" A cat called from the middle of the crowd.

"Was it the rogues?"

"They had the nerve to attack our medicine cats?"

"What will we do?"

"We have to get revenge! They have gone one step too far!" Angry and panicked shouts came from the throng of clan cats, getting more upset by the second. Cats panicked, unsure of what to do, while others called for revenge, wanting to send a patrol out that very second to hunt down the rogues who had done this.

"Silence!" The order rang through the hollow and instantly, the clearing fell dead-quiet. Snowstar and Specklestar stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the Highledge, their almost identical white pelts blazing in the light of the half moon.

Snowstar, slightly smaller than her ThunderClan counterpart led the way down the tumble of rock and strode regally through the mass of cats. "Tell us what happened." The gray and white leader continued, staring searchingly into the eyes of the cats on the patrol.

Morningfrost shakily began, "Maplebreeze sent Dewstorm, Paleflower, and I to follow the medicine cats in case the rogues attacked. We met the other medicine cats who also had warriors with them. I guess the other clans had the same idea. We made it to the Moonpool, and everything was fine. The rogues struck on the way back and seemed to come out of nowhere. We tried to fight them off, but there was too many of them, and they overwhelmed us. They gave us a message to take back to our clans. They told us that the attacks would continue unless we leave for good and next time, they won't hesitate to kill every last cat. They killed the WindClan medicine cat apprentice, Blizzardpaw. Then they just vanished into the night."

Mutterings broke out among the gathered cats. "This is the same message that they gave us at the Gathering." A ThunderClan tom, who Maplebreeze thought was named Swiftleap whispered to his friend, a mottled brown tom.

"Yeah, they haven't gotten any more violent. It's not like this is more serious than it already is." The mottled brown tom, called Birchshade muttered back.

"No, it has gotten more dangerous." Maplebreeze murmured, a half to herself and a half to Brackenstep, feeling her blood chill. "They have killed a cat and furthermore, a medicine cat. They are getting bolder and more violent. They have gone one step too far, and no cat is safe."

 **Whoo! It's finally done! I am not going to be able to post for a while so here is an** _ **extra**_ **extra long chapter for you today. Things are getting darker! Hope you like it!**

 **We now get to see more of Maplebreeze's personality. She is basically me as a cat, so I enjoy writing her. Like me, she has a temper that will boil over when she has too much stress and frustration. We also get to see more of her hidden side, vulnerable and worried. Also, sorry if Birdpaw's examination of Maplebreeze was wrong, but I have no idea how to tell if a cat has a bruise.**

 **And I don't know if any of you are going to ask, but Snowstar and Specklestar are related. Snowstar is a direct descendant of Shimmerstar, the first leader of MountainClan who was banished from her clan for falling in love with Gorseleap, WindClan warrior and later became her deputy but died before he could become leader. Shimmerstar had a brother named Iceshade, who you'll see in a short series of stories that I am planning to post sometime soon. Iceshade is Specklestar's great-great-great-great grandfather or something like that. (The book will be called** _ **The Stories of MountainClan**_ **. Stay tuned.)**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	19. Chapter 18: Revenge

**Chapter 18 - Revenge**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a meeting of both clans!" Specklestar's voice boomed through the hollow, jolting Maplebreeze awake from a violent nightmare of a devastating battle. Her breath came in short gasps as she remembered her dream of fighting an impossible battle. She had fought rogue after rogue, but more just kept coming. She had caught glimpses of the other clan cats, Paleflower, Dewlight, Finchfang, Mistyshine, Reedstar, Graystorm, Dustflame, fighting desperately beside her and fall, one by one, sightless eyes staring at the blood-red earth. The silver dappled ThunderClan leader's call woken her up just as she was watching in horror as a scarred gray rogue with a remarkable resemblance to Ash, strike Snowstar down with one mighty paw. _Is this the fate that awaits all of the clans?_

Pulling herself to her paws, Maplebreeze padded shakily out into the clearing. Most of the ThunderClan cats had gathered, and the other MountainClan cats streamed out from behind her, joining the throng. The apprentices slipped out from their den and dispersed into the crowd, the MountainClan apprentices moving to their mentor's sides.

 _The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats are all mixed._ Maplebreeze observed, watching the cats from both clans take seats near each other and grow quiet. _We have united to fight a common enemy. Even Whiteblaze is sitting near Gorsestep. I just hope all of the clans can do that,_ Maplebreeze thought approvingly.

It was barely after sunrise, and the dawn light filtered through lush green leaves into the dim hollow. White clouds tipped with pink and orange floated lazily by on a slow breeze. Golden light surrounded Specklestar and Snowstar, outlining the she-cats in golden. The leaders stood side by side on the Highledge like they had the night before when the medicine cats and their guards had returned.

"ThunderClan and MountainClan cats!" Specklestar called. "Snowstar and I know that you all want to get revenge on the Dark Fangs for what they have done to our medicine cats! As we won't be able to track down the original cats who attacked our medicine cats, we will send a patrol to find a patrol and make them pay for what they did to us!

"These attacks have been going on too long! It's time we teach them a lesson! We will not be intimidated into submission! It's time we show them that we aren't afraid anymore, and we will fight for our clans and our home! Who's with me?" Specklestar yowled, rallying the two clans.

"We're with you!"

"Revenge on those trespassers!"

"Payback for what they have done to us!"

"They have gone too far!"

"Let's show them what we're made of!" The ThunderClan cats shouted. The MountainClan cats cheered as well, but less enthusiastically. They had seen up close what the rogues were like. MountainClan was made by banished cats and cats who had left the clans. They were not a warring clan, but a clan who was peaceful and didn't believe in revenge but was fierce, brave, and strong in battle.

"Revenge!" The ThunderClan cats yowled, the MountainClan cats joining in.

"It's time to fight back!" A gray tabby ThunderClan tom yowled.

"Crush them! Fight back!"

"Fight back!" Maplebreeze yelled, taking up the cry.

Snowstar raised her tail for silence. The gray and white leader didn't look exactly happy at the prospect of sending cats on looking for the rogues purposely without a plan and just for revenge. "Okay, the following cats will be on the patrol; The deputies, Maplebreeze and Spiderleap will lead the patrol. Dewstorm, Larkflight, Fernbreeze, Finchfang, Morningfrost, and Bouldertail."

Maplebreeze groaned inwardly at having to patrol once again with the bossy ThunderClan deputy. _I can't believe we're finally going to show those mangy prey-stealing rogues that they can't walk all over us anymore! They have gone too far! The golden brown tabby she-cat thought fiercely. But I wish I didn't have to do it with that stubborn furball. At least Snowstar and Specklestar decide to send level-headed cats on the patrol, ones who won't do anything rash. I can't believe we're finally fighting back!_

The crowd quieted and dispersed, the leaders having decided the cats on the battle patrol. Spiderleap stood in front of the base of the Highledge, warriors from both clans gathered around him. _Whoops, I forgot! Patrols!_ The golden brown tabby she-cat hastily hurried over to join him in the center of the half-circle.

"Whiteblaze you will lead a patrol to patrol the lake border and the WindClan border. Take with you, uh, Birchshade, Cinderpaw, Dewlight, and-" The large black and white tom was saying.

"And Thrushfang." Maplebreeze cut in, coming up beside Spiderleap.

The black and white tom twitched his whiskers, barely acknowledging her. "Good, off you go then." He continued, nodding to Whiteblaze. Whiteblaze dipped his head respectfully in return and then headed off to collect the cats on the border patrol.

Maplebreeze snorted. _Like Whiteblaze would be as respectful as that to any MountainClan cat. As far as he is concerned, we're no better than the rogues._ She thought bitterly. "Stoneshade, take Sagefrost, Paleflower, Dustpaw, and Sparrowshade to patrol the ShadowClan border and the border with unknown territory."

"I thought we agreed that ThunderClan cats would lead the patrols. It is our land after all, and we know it best." Spiderleap challenged, fixing her with a piercing yellow glare.

"We have been here for almost a moon now. My clanmates know the territory and are as just as capable as your warriors." Maplebreeze snapped coldly, her fury at the rogues lighting the flame of anger inside her chest.

"Fine. But if that patrol gets lost, it's not on me." Spiderleap sniffed.

"Who put a burr in his fur?" Someone said jokingly beside her.

Maplebreeze turned, catching a scent of Sagefrost's scent. "Sagefrost!" She squealed happily, touching her nose to her friend's pale ginger ear. "I know, he is even more bossy than usual this morning." She scoffed.

"It's been too long since we've spoken. I've missed you, my friend." Sagefrost murmured sentimentally.

"Yeah, I'm sorry that I haven't been around lately. The battles with the rogues have made us all busy without much time for other things." Maplebreeze apologized.

"It's okay." Sagefrost purred, quickly lightening the conversation again. "Let's talk later, okay? I've missed you as well."

"Tonight after I come back from the battle patrol I'm all yours." Maplebreeze smiled, trying to reassure herself that nothing had changed between her and Sagefrost. But her small glimmer in her friend's eye told her differently.

"I better go, Stoneshade is gathering the patrol." The pale ginger she-cat said briskly, trotting away. "See you tonight!"

Maplebreeze watched her friend head toward the thorn bush barrier where the border patrol for the ShadowClan border was waiting, feeling slightly hurt and confused. _What's going on with her? Why is Sagefrost acting that way? I apologized, and I'm truly sorry that I've been occupied. The ongoing battles with the rogues steal all of every cat's time, leaving us with no time for our families and friends._ The golden brown tabby she-cat shook her head sadly and turned to head back to where Spiderleap was finishing organizing the hunting patrols. Molefoot and Nettlewhisker were leading their hunting patrols with four other cats out of the entrance.

"Maplebreeze! The battle patrol is leaving!" Spiderleap called impatiently.

Maplebreeze groaned again but hurried over to where the eight cats on the patrol had assembled. "Let's go." The eight cats streaked out into the sunlit forest. They stopped a little way from camp, in a small glade surrounded by a thick wall of trees, because no cat was quite sure of how to proceed.

"Okay, we need a plan." Maplebreeze decided, gathering the other ThunderClan and MountainClan cats with a sweep of her tail. Brushing away some leaves from the forest floor, she grew two circles in the dust, a smaller one inside of the larger one. "This is the lake." The golden brown tabby she-cat indicated the smaller circle with her paw, making sure everyone was watching. "And this is the clans' territories." She set her leg inside of the larger circle and then drew lines in the dust, dividing the larger circle into four parts. "Here is ThunderClan territory. From what I've heard and experienced is that the rogues like to attack near the borders where is it also hard to fight. For instance, like near steep hills where they have the advantage of the higher part or an easy escape route from a stream or a border that they know we can't follow."

"Cowards, they always run." Larkflight muttered scornfully.

"Exactly, Larkflight." Maplebreeze praised, and the tortoiseshell she-cat looked embarrassed at being heard. "When they are outmatched, they always run. We can use that to our advantage. They are smart, as well as organized and have larger numbers. So any ideas on how to outsmart them?"

"We could dig a hole and chase them into it?" Fernbreeze suggested.

"No, that would take moons." Larkflight objected. "I think we chase them into a thicket of brambles that we weave together so they can't escape. Then it would be easy to beat them. We are better at fighting in undergrowth than them."

"Uh huh, and do you want to come home with a bunch of scratches from the thorns as well as wounds?" Fernbreeze scoffed, rolling her pale yellow eyes.

"Hey, we're trying to make a plan here. So all ideas are welcome." Spiderleap scolded, staring pointedly at Fernbreeze.

"What even is the point here? Revenge?" Morningfrost asked, to no cat in particular. "We are just hunting down one patrol to fight back. It isn't worth our time. Our energy should be spent trying to get rid of them once and for all. We shouldn't sink to their level by this little relation."

"Revenge is the whole point," Spiderleap answered passionately, though not disrespectfully. "We are doing this to show them that they have gone too far, that we won't take this anymore, and most importantly that we aren't afraid, and we will fight for our homes!" Nods and murmurs of agreement from the met his words. Even Dewstorm nodded his large head. Morningfrost and Fernbreeze exchanged doubtful glances.

Maplebreeze sighed quietly; Morningfrost had just voiced the doubts that had been nagging her from the back of her head all morning. But if they were going to do this, they had to do it right to send a strong message.

"Excuse me," A shy voice spoke up. A tall, broad-shouldered dark gray tom with bright green eyes stepped forward.

"Yes, uh, what is your name again?" Maplebreeze asked. She had seen the tom around camp but had never learned his name.

"It's Bouldertail. I have an idea about what to do; that is you all want to hear it." The ThunderClan tom meowed hesitantly.

"Sure, we could use all of the ideas we can get," Spiderleap replied encouragingly.

"W-well, I was thinking." The broad-shouldered gray tom padded forward until he was a tail-length from the diagram Maplebreeze had drawn in the dust. "The rogues like to attack near borders, right? Because they know that we don't cross them, so they can make an easy escape into the next clan's territory. I thought we could…"

. . .

"Alright everyone, just like we planned!" Maplebreeze whispered. They were crouching in a clump of tall at the top of one of the high hills where ThunderClan and WindClan territory met. Below them, the hunting patrol that Molefoot was leading, was just finishing gathering their prey, a good haul of several rabbits, a few birds, mice, and moles and even a squirrel. After discussing Bouldertail's plan and making a few changes they had finally agreed on it. Now, here they were lying in wait for the rogues to come and get their bait.

"Spread out a little more!" Dewstorm hissed to her, Larkflight and Finchfang. The four of the moved to the left or right, giving themselves more distance between each other. The patrol gathered their prey and began to make progress across the bottom of the small valley between the two high bluffs.

Maplebreeze raised her head carefully, just in time to see the flash of a black and white tail, so quick it could have been a trick o the sunlight on the grass. The tail flashed out again and then once more. "That's the signal! The rogues have been spotted! Get into position!" She hissed to Dewstorm, who in turn passed it down the line. Maplebreeze raised her golden brown tail and waved it swiftly three times in response, high enough so she knew Spiderleap and his half of the patrol could see it.

Raising her head above the top of the grass, Maplebreeze sniffed the clear air. Above the smell of grass and rabbits, she could detect the musky scent of rogues was growing steadily stronger.

"Good! We're still downwind of them!" She murmured to Dewstorm.

"I can smell them too. They're getting closer. You better get in your position near the other slope of the hill!" Dewstorm reminded her.

"Right! Thanks." The golden brown tabby she-cat slunk away through the grass. She slowly stalked through the waving long grass. She stopped in a shorter clump of grass; her belly pressed to the ground to make sure she was still hidden. Next to her, the ground began to slope steeply down then turned into a gentle, rolling incline.

Maplebreeze glanced around to the opposite side of the tiny valley. In the distance, she could see dark shapes slinking along the valley floor toward the hunting patrol. Her muscles tensed as she played in her head her part in Bouldertail's plan. In a few moments, the rogues were going reach the hunting patrol that had agreed to be bait to trap the rogues. If everything went according to the plan, the rogues would be taken completely by surprise. As they attacked the hunting patrol, the cats of the battle patrol would run down the hillside, four coming right at them and two more cats cutting off each of their easy escape routes.

The rogues slunk slowly closer to the hunting patrol that was dawdling near the center of the shallow valley. Maplebreeze kept her eyes glued to them as they drew slowly closer, slinking through the shadows from the hills. The wind picked up, whipping the grass along the hillsides and rustling the leaves on the few trees.

Suddenly, the wind changed direction, coming from behind her and the other cats on the ridge and blowing their scents down into the valley. _No, now it's carrying our scent right towards them! Our cover could be blown!_ Maplebreeze watched helplessly as a black rogue raised his head, glancing around. They were quite close to the hunting patrol now, only a few tree-lengths away.

 _They've smelled us!_ We'd better attack now or not at all! "Attack!" She cried, throwing herself down the hillside just as the black rogue was about to open his mouth to warn the other cats in her group burst out of their hiding places and dashed down the incline after her. Maplebreeze was relieved to see the other team racing toward the rogues as well. The hunting patrol dropped their prey and charged the group of rogues. The Dark Fang's patrol stood stock-still, staring shocked at the clan cats racing toward them. Then they leaped into battle, crashing into the first cats of the hunting patrol and the four cats of the Battle patrol who had been chosen to charge the rogues.

Maplebreeze skidded the last few tail-lengths down the hill and spinning around, sprinted toward the fighting cats. A little way in front of her, Finchfang, who had also been chosen to run down the hill in front of the rogues in case one tired running, crashed into a silver and black she-cat who had tried to run escape by fleeing forward. Maplebreeze whipped past the wrestling cats and threw herself at a tan and white tom who was trying to escape up the hillside.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun. With the combined cats of the hunting and fighting patrol, the Clan cats had thirteen warriors to the rogues' eight, they quickly overwhelmed them and sent them fleeing back the way they had come.

Maplebreeze watched at they fled through the valley and disappeared around the hills, Larkflight, Finchfang, and Gorestep, who had been on Molefoot's patrol, pursuing them. The golden brown tabby she-cat glanced around, and her eyes caught sight of a mottled brown she-cat's mangled body lying limply on the grassy earth. The she-cat had several bloody wounds covering her body, and her fur was matted and crisscrossed by older scars. Padding over to get a closer look, Maplebreeze saw that she looked barely a year old.

An image of her father's mangled body in his last few moments of living filled her mind. _No, don't think about that._ She tried to push it away. But it stayed, firmly fixed there. Almost five seasons ago now, a band of rogues had moved into MountainClan's territory, just after she was made deputy. It was still early spring then, so the clan was not at full strength and was even weaker after the rogues began to steal their prey and take over their territory. It had taken them moons to drive them out, and it had cost them, several brave warriors, including Ravenheart's littler-sister, Acornpaw and Maplebreeze's father Duskblaze. He was wounded severely in the final battle where the rogues had been finally driven out. The deep wound on his left shoulder became infected and for days, he was suspended between life and death. Maplebreeze remembered bending over him, her belly swollen with kits as he lay limply on his side, limbs splayed, and left shoulder bandaged along the infected wound. He had said he was proud of her and Breezeclaw and that he would watch them and her kits from StarClan. Then he died.

Maplebreeze stared down at the mangled body of the she-cat, tears forming in her eyes and blurring her gaze. She didn't bother to shake them away. Instead, the proud feeling of victory, only a sad, hollow feeling filled her chest. "So," She whispered bitterly. "This is revenge."

 **Hi everyone here is chapter 18. I'm sorry that it has been a long time between my posts, but you all know going back to school is. I am back in school next week so it will most likely be two weeks before my next post. Then it should probably have a regular schedule again. Please review!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	20. Chapter 19: What Makes Us A Clan

**Chapter 19 - What Makes Us A Clan**

"Maplebreeze?" A gentle voice stirred her out of her thoughts. The golden tabby she-cat turned slowly, her legs feeling like jelly and muscles suddenly aching. Morningfrost stood next to Maplebreeze, her long golden and white tail striped tail resting on the deputy's shoulder and her pale yellow eyes concerned. "Are you alright?"

Maplebreeze raised her head, letting Morningfrost see the tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"You're thinking about Duskblaze aren't you?" Morningfrost asked gently, glancing from the dead rogue she-cat to Maplebreeze's sorrowful face. "Oh, you poor dear. Come here." Maplebreeze stepped closer, letting her head rest on Morningfrost's fluffy white chest. The motherly golden and dark gray she-cat sat down, wrapping her tail around Maplebreeze's shoulders. Maplebreeze felt like a kit again, being comforted by her mother, Palewhisker.

"I think we should head back to camp." Maplebreeze untangled herself from Morningfrost's long tail and blinked the last few tears from her eyes.

Looking around her, Maplebreeze saw that the ThunderClan cats were gathering in a clump, licking their wounds and chatting excitedly about the battle. The MountainClan cats also stood in a group, murmuring quietly to each other, and shooting long, anxious glances at the ThunderClan cats.

The sound of pawsteps on grass reached Maplebreeze's ears, and she turned to see Larkflight, Finchfang, and Gorsestep returning. The toms were dragging a gray blob of fur between them. _What is that?_ Maplebreeze wondered curiously and bounded over to get a closer look.

Finchfang was dragging a small unconscious gray tom by the scruff while Gorsestep pulled by the tom's skinny white tipped tail. Larkflight led them, trotting a few steps in front of them, her tortoiseshell fur ruffled and stained with blood around the scratches on her shoulder, hip, and right flank.

"Who's that? Why is he unconscious?" Maplebreeze asked Larkflight.

"He's a young rogue we found sniffing around the border. The rogues must have left him behind to spy on the border." Larkflight informed her grimly. "We surprised him, but he put up a fight, so Gorestep knocked him out."

"Are you sure he's part of the Dark Fangs?"

"Yes. This cat smells exactly like the rogues from the Dark Fangs and he said that the Dark Fangs would kill us if we took him right before Gorsestep knocked him out." Larkflight responded assuredly. "Finchfang had the idea of bringing him back to camp as a prisoner because he could give us valuable information about the rogues."

"Okay." Maplebreeze meowed, bending down to take a deeper sniff of the gray tom. The familiar musky scent of prey mixed with the strange scents that Maplebreeze remembered from the Twolegplace, of dogs, twolegs, smoke, dirt, and many other things drifted up her nose. He was definitely part of the Dark Fangs. Maplebreeze rolled to young tom over onto his back. The gray tom was scrawny, skinny and wiry with unhealthy and unkempt looking fur. He had a ruffled, fluffy white chest and pointed muzzle. The most peculiar thing about the small tom was his left front paw. It was twisted to the right, the pale pink pads facing upward.

"Wow," Maplebreeze exclaimed, staring curiously at the tom's twisted paw. "I've never quite seen anything like that."

"Yeah. I wonder how he got it?" Larkflight cocked her head. By then, the other cats had seen the three of them return and had created a small ring around the four of them, each cat pushing in for a closer look.

"Who is that?" Fernbreeze asked curiously.

"I don't know. I think that's a rogue." A dark brown tabby tom Maplebreeze had never spoken to but she had heard another ThunderClan cat call him Shrewtail answered, sounding just as curious as Fernbreeze.

"He sure smells like one!" Gorsestep scoffed.

"Move aside! I can't see! I wanna see what he looks like. Move!" Frostpaw said indignantly, shoving aside a couple of warriors who hissed in annoyance at her.

"Wait your turn, Frostpaw." Maplebreeze meowed sternly, turning to fix the young white apprentice with a steely stare.

"Sorry," Frostpaw muttered, not sounding apologetic at all.

"We're leaving now, anyway." The golden brown tabby she-cat meowed quietly. "Let's move out! We need to get back to camp!" She announced to the whole group. The other cats nodded and slowly, some cats still milling about, began to trek back across the small valley and collected the dropped prey. Larkflight helped Maplebreeze heave the little gray tom onto her back and then slipped under to support some of his weight. The small tom was draped over their backs, his tail dragging in the dust, as if they were carrying a dead clanmate from a battlefield back to camp.

They trudged slowly across the valley and then turned and reentered the forest of ThunderClan territory, making their way toward the ThunderClan camp. Birch, maple, oak and cedar trees arched high above them, their crisscrossed branches blotting out the sunlight. Maplebreeze had grown more comfortable in the forest, and now found beauty in the sunlight through the blooming green leaves, the gentle waving of the branches and the multicolored fallen leaves that carpeted the earth. But she still missed the vast, bleak beauty of her far away home. With a sad pang she remembered the rough stone, the sharp wind, and the gnarled pine trees. It was the exact place she belonged.

They reached the entrance at sundown. The golden light filtered through the trees and made small pools of light on the ground. In the opposite direction of the sunset, where the sun rises, the first few dim stars were appearing in the pale purplish-blue sky.

Maplebreeze and Larkflight set the unconscious tom down by the half-rock in front of the elders den and nearest place to the entrance. "I've got to go report to Snowstar. Can you watch him?" She asked the tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Sure," Larkflight replied and took a seat beside the knocked-out young gray rogue.

Maplebreeze hurried away, her mind focused on one thing. Finding her leader and reporting what had happened. The incident with the dead she-cat had awakened something inside of her that she had thought was safe, pressed deep inside of her. The vulnerable side of her like a dying leaf in a gale, so fragile it could break at any moment. Maplebreeze was heartbroken when her sister, then mother had died. She had been so fragile, like a leaf in a gale that she had almost crumbled. The golden tabby she-cat had gotten control of her emotions and tried to work through them. But the scars across her heart had only opened up again when Duskblaze had died. He had been her protector and example and role model for many moons. The birth of her kits had eased the pain, as new life and change can do. They occupied all of her days for the first six months of her lives. She thought the delicate side of her was gone forever, but the wounds had been opened again and were bleeding afresh. Now she must wear the mask, and not let anyone see her weakness. She couldn't afford it, with a clan and kits to think of.

"Ow!" Maplebreeze huffed, colliding with a solid ball of fur and shaking her out of her thoughts. "Watch it!" She hissed in annoyance, picking herself up off the sandy earth and shaking out her ruffled fur. "Oh, it's you." The golden brown tabby she-cat said in a surprised tone, mixed in with frosty anger when she got a good look at the cat she had crashed into.

"Sorry," Breezeclaw apologized, looking concerned and guarded. Obviously, Maplebreeze's reaction to him when he first arrived was still fresh in the black and white tom's mind.

"No, it's my fault, I was stumbling around the camp like a mindless squirrel." The MountainClan deputy replied.

"Yeah, you kind of were. More like a brainless badger, though." Breezeclaw joked, some of his old humor returning to his tone.

Maplebreeze smiled back at her brother, chuckling lightly. Then her face sobered, and she said soberly, "I better go. I have to report to Snowstar."

"Right." Breezeclaw meowed, his voice detached and toneless and bright blue eyes taking on a distant look once again. The MountainClan warrior stepped aside to let his sister pass.

Maplebreeze trotted past her brother, pausing to blink sadly back at him from a few steps away as the black and white tom headed across the camp, his tail practically dragging in the dust. I wish I could fix things with him. _I miss being close to him. He is my last close living family member._ Sighing, she turned and trotted into the Warrior's Den, combing the room for her gray and white leader. The den was empty except for Nettlewhisker who was sleepily sharing tongues with Morningfrost after returning from both of their patrols and Fernbreeze who was curled up in a tight ball, sleeping soundly.

Maplebreeze ducked out of the den. Resuming her search, she hurried across the camp and ducked her head inside the shadowy cave that was the Apprentice's Den. Mossy nests weaved with bracken sat in a spiral-like pattern on the sandy floor. It was pretty crowded, since the MountainClan apprentices bunked in there as well, occupying more than half of the cave, since Sorrelpaw, Lakepaw, and Emberpaw had joined as well. Lightningpaw and Skypaw, the oldest ThunderClan apprentices, were talking in their nests near the center, the warmest place in the den. Next to the cave wall, Frostpaw was sleeping after the exhilarating battle and Lakepaw was curled up a nest over.

 _Right! I still have to talk to Lakepaw! StarClan, I've all been so busy that I've forgotten to spend time with the cats that mean to most to me. I've got to fix it._

"Lakepaw?" Maplebreeze whispered anxiously, nudging her daughter with one paw.

The small misty gray apprentice raised her head sleepily. "Maplebreeze? What is it?"

"Hi, Lakepaw," Maplebreeze murmured lovingly. "I wanted to say hi. I have to go now, but can we talk later?"

"Sure," The MountainClan apprentice replied, avoiding Maplebreeze gaze.

"Okay, you go back to sleep. I'll see you later." Maplebreeze gave her daughter a lick on her head and then trotted out of the den. Scanning the camp once again she spotted Snowstar laying in a patch of dying sunlight near the ThunderClan elders' honeysuckle den, the gray and white leader raised her head as she heard Maplebreeze swiftly approach.

"Snowstar, I've come to make my report about the battle patrol. It's severe. Can we talk somewhere privately." The golden brown tabby she-cat asked in a quiet voice, dipping her head quickly.

"Of course. Walk with me." Snowstar rose, seeming to sense the urgency in Maplebreeze's tone. The pair of she-cat trotted out of the thorn bush entrance and into the darkening forest since Snowstar didn't have a den here, it was the only place they had to talk privately. They headed silently along a well-worn trail that wound through a thicket of bramble bushes. Maplebreeze followed her leader without question as they left the trail and sat down in the privacy of a patch of ferns, a place they had come before to talk where no one else could intrude.

"I saw the battle patrol return and waited for you to find me. How did it go?" Snowstar asked, waiting until they had sat down, facing one another.

"We formulated a plan to catch the rogues. Since the Dark Fangs are attacking our hunting patrols, we thought it would be a good idea to use a hunting patrol as bait. Once everyone had agreed, we tracked down Molefoot's hunting patrol, and they decided to do it. Molefoot's patrol had been hunting near the WindClan border, so we used a little valley with steep hills on both sides to trap them. We set it up, so four of us were on one of the slopes, and four were on the other. The hunting patrol traveled down the center so we could trap them and block their escape routes on either side. When the rogues were spotted and took the bait, we attacked. With the combined force of the hunting patrol, we took them by surprise and had the advantage of high ground. It was a quick battle, and we won, thirteen MountainClan and THunderClan warriors and apprentices to eleven Dark Fangs." Maplebreeze finished her lengthy report, taking in a deep breath.

"Okay, that sounds good. You won," Snowstar meowed, looking confused. "Is there a problem, Maplebreeze? You seem upset."

"Yes," The golden brown she-cat rose to pace, her tail whipping angrily. "One of the rogues was killed, a young she-cat."

"And?" Snowstar prompted her gaze a mix of worry and thoughtfulness.

"And this just proved what I fear." Maplebreeze stopped pacing, raising her head to stare the slightly taller she-cat in the eye. "I am afraid that we are going about this all wrong. You, me, and the rest of our clan knows from the stories that have been passed down the generations in our clan that we need to think clearly and make smart decisions. Not stoop to their level by slinking around, bent on revenge. I'm worried that ThunderClan and maybe all of the other clans as well is becoming too caught up in this game of attack and retaliate and losing sight of who we are as clans!

"They killed a she-cat, even though the warrior code say that an honorable warrior doesn't need to kill to win his battles. I know it's ironic that I am saying this, coming from a clan of cats who broke the warrior code and we sentenced to death and escaped or banished. But that is who we are as a clan, our core! We don't run blindly around for revenge and do not hold grudges! I'm afraid that the clans are losing sight of what makes them a clan, at the core and will lose sight of the warrior code, something that should be questioned if it has harsh rules and can be changed. It is something that keeps us above cats like the rogues because we don't kill, we don't steal, and we care for our own. It is something that makes us warriors." Maplebreeze finished her speech, breathing heavily and glanced nervously at her leader.

Snowstar nodded, slowly and thoughtfully. "I agree with you Maplebreeze. I will talk to Snowstar about our concerns. I totally agree with you that the clans may be losing sight of what's right. In times likes these we have to remember what makes us clans."

 **Hi everyone, I'm sorry for my long absence. You all know how it is starting a new school year with tons of homework. Here is a new chapter, sorry it's kind of short. I will be updating next week so stay tuned for the next chapter,** _ **Prisoner of War.**_ **I'm kind of disappointed with the lack of action and shortness of the chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed learning more of Maplebreeze's past and her character. The next chapter will be much more exciting. Thanks for reading and please review!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	21. Chapter 20: Mother And Daughter

**Chapter 20 - Mother and Daughter**

Having finished up their conversation, Maplebreeze and Snowstar trotted back along the leaf-covered trail towards the ThunderClan camp. The setting sun cast golden fire-like pools of light on the red pine needles and fallen brown leaves on the forest floor. The MountainClan she-cats padded through the intertwined tendrils of the bramble bushes and emerged into the darkened hollow. The setting sun's rays covered the top of the west side of the rock walls, like golden honey on the tip of a piece of bark. A dense crowd of clan cats, taller, muscular ThunderClan cats and shorter, thick pelted MountainClan cats.

"I wonder what's going on?" Maplebreeze wondered. "Let's go check it out." She speedily bounded across the rough dried grass and weaved her way to the front of the crowd. It didn't surprise her to see Spiderleap and Specklestar murmuring to each other as they bent over the senseless form of the little gray rogue. Larkflight stood a few steps away, most likely just having finished her report to Snowstar about their prisoner.

"Ah, good, you're both here." Specklestar meowed, bowing her head briefly in respect to the MountainClan leader and deputy as Snowstar strode over to join them. Maplebreeze gazed down at the ragged fur of the thin tom. Peering closely at the tom's coat, she noticed the gaunt and unhealthiness of the young rogue's pelt and the long healed scars laced into the skin beneath his thin coat.

"Larkflight just finished informing us about the rogue from the Dark Fangs." Snowstar continued, drawing Maplebreeze's attention back to the slim silver dappled leader. "Spiderleap and Larkflight both think that he could be a real asset to us. He is a member of Dark Fangs so he could be able to supply us with information about their camp, battle strategies, intel on their attacking plans."

"I agree. We could get the leverage that we need from his information." Snowstar meowed, nodding thoughtfully as her long tail swishing back and forth to the side of where she sat.

"He's unconscious right now, so we need to find a secure place to hold him until he awakes so we can question him," Spiderleap said, his voice gravelly. "Any ideas?"

"We could make a bramble den in the bushes near the entrance. It would be hard to get out of a tightly woven space." Specklestar suggested.

"It would be safer out in the territory. Not near the elders and kits." Spiderleap objected.

"We could keep him in one of the unoccupied stone caves in that corner of the camp," Snowstar suggested. "If we have two guards out front, there is no way he could escape. It's also on the other side of the camp, far from the Nursery and Elder's Den."

"Good idea, Snowstar. I'll have him moved there and appoint two guards to stay outside at all times." Specklestar decided, padding over to Larkflight and conversing with her warrior quietly. Spiderleap split as well, heading off to talk to Whiteblaze whose patrol had just returned.

"You should get your scratches checked, Maplebreeze. I don't want my deputy out of action." Snowstar suggested seriously gesturing with her tail to the three shallow scratches down her side and the re-opened one above her eye.

"Oh, I totally forgot about them. I will get the cuts checked right away." The MountainClan deputy promised.

"Good." Was all Snowstar grunted in reply before padded off, her tail droopy and ears pinned slightly back. _What's going on with her?_ Maplebreeze thought, bewildered. _First Lakepaw, then Sagefrost, and now Snowstar? StarClan, what's going on with my clanmates? Oh, that's right! I've got to talk to her after I get my wounds treated._

Maplebreeze turned, ambling across the dusty hollow toward the Medicine Cat's Den. Passing the nursery, she saw a slim golden she-cat with darker stripes sitting by the small round bramble entrance, three little kits tossing a bundle of moss between them. With a shrill squeal, a fluffy dark gray tom with a darker stripe down his spine heaved the bundle of dark green to a tiny white she-kit, right over the head of a golden and white tabby tom, who looked almost identical to his mother. The she-kit had large gray and golden patches on her back, head, and tail.

 _That's Honeynose and her three kits, Berrykit, Dawnkit, and that bigger tom must be Runningkit! They must be about a quarter moon old by now!_ Maplebreeze realized.

"I'm going to get it!" Berrykit squeaked, spinning on his paws and dashing back toward Dawnkit.

"No, you won't!" Dawnkit mewed excitedly as she tossed the mossball back to Runningkit. It flopped on the ground just in front of Runningkit's paws, and the dark gray kit scooped it up. Unable to stop, Berrykit collided with Dawnkit and the two kits wrestled playfully in the dust, squeaking excitedly. Honeynose smiled gently, watching her three young kits play.

Maplebreeze smiled as well as realization swept over her. No matter how used to I get to living in ThunderClan, it will never be the same here as with my clan, in our camp. I miss being the only deputy and not having to coordinate with another cat to make decisions. _I bet that's what Snowstar is missing, being the only and genuine leader of one clan. Also, of course, our clanmates that we left behind, our territory, and all of us being together, whole once more. That's what I long for, and that's my clanmates must long for. We aren't a real clan anymore._

Maplebreeze sighed, turning to trot to the medicine cat's den, feeling tears form in the corners of her eyes. The Medicine Cats' den was dark, the fading light barely streaming in. Birdpaw looked up at her soft pawsteps, a jumble of leaves and roots around her paws and stacks of herbs near the walls. "Mapmbeze?" Birdpaw mumbled, a couple of thin roots clasped in her jaws.

"Sorry, what?" Maplebreeze asked, confused at what the medicine cat apprentice had said.

"Maplebreeze?" The slim pale brown apprentice repeated. "Are you here to get your scratches treated?"

"Yeah, I got a couple. Where's Pebblefur?"

"Out gathering more horsetail, chervil, and broom. With all of the skirmishes recently and injured cats we are running out of a lot of herbs all the time, and it's his home, so he knows where all of the wounded cats are." Birdpaw answered, pushing her herbs to the side. "Sit down, let me take a look at you."

The golden brown tabby she-cat took a seat, as Birdpaw placed the thin roots in a pile at the back of the den where the rocky wall of the cave turned sharply into a pointed crevice. Through the dim gloom of the cave, Maplebreeze could see nooks and crannies that lined the walls of the crack were used to store herbs of all shades and sizes. The slim pale brown apprentice scooped a couple of bright yellow flowers of-of the dusty ground. Setting them at Maplebreeze's paws, she returned to the back of the den to fetch a pair of cobwebs that were stuck to a long brown stick leaning against the cave wall.

"Lick your scratches clean, and then I'll dress them with the marigold," Birdpaw instructed. Maplebreeze compiled, first turning her head to lick at the scratches down her sides and then used her paw to get the one over her left eye. "Is your shoulder still hurting? I can give you some comfrey root to help it." Birdpaw asked as she applied the poultice the young MountainClan apprentice had made from the marigold petals to the shallow scratches on Maplebreeze's side.

The MountainClan deputy thought for a moment, rotating her shoulder slowly in a circle. "I don't believe so. I haven't even a twinge of pain in the last few days. I might be healed!" She meowed happily.

"Good, but tell me if you stumble or feel any more pain," Birdpaw advised as she moved to place the cobwebs over the scratches and then slowly dropped the poultice onto the scratch above her eye. Birdpaw padded over the pool to wash off her paws that were wet from the remedy and then placed the cobweb over the small cut just above Maplebreeze's left eye.

"Thank you, Birdpaw!" Maplebreeze called after her as she padded out of the Medicine Cat's Den.

"You're welcome, Maplebreeze!" The MountainClan apprentice waved her tail in goodbye and then set about sorting the jumble of herbs on the dusty floor of the den.

 _I'd better find Lakepaw. I told her I would meet her later and it is later._ Maplebreeze decided. As she emerged from the cave, the golden brown tabby she-cat scanned the clearing for her misty gray daughter. The golden brown tabby she-cat spotted Lakepaw lying serenely by herself beside the entrance the Apprentice's Den, the very tip of her tail flicking back and forth like it was caught in a breeze. Maplebreeze paused, staring for a moment at her daughter. The misty gray she-cat had grown, her once-fluffy kit pelt now sleek, her short legs, now muscular and firm, and her body tall and lean.

"Lakepaw," The MountainClan deputy called softly. The MountainClan apprentice raised her head, her light yellow eyes meeting Maplebreeze's amber ones and rose to her paws. Smiling slightly, Maplebreeze beckoned with her long plumy tail, so much like Lakepaw's, and led the young apprentice out into the dark forest. The pair weaved through the dark trees, padding silently over the rises and falls of the leaf-covered earth. The light of the crescent moon casting lacy shadows through the leaf cover.

At a tiny clearing in the woods, carpeted with soft grass, Maplebreeze padded, motioning for Lakepaw to join her to sit in the grass in the center of the glade. Lakepaw silently sat beside her. Wrapping her tail around her paws, Maplebreeze tilted her head to the sky, gazing at the glittering stars that decorated the startling dark blue skies. _Oh, StarClan._ Maplebreeze thought. _If you can hear me from this far-away land, please help me be kind and understanding so I may fix things with my daughter. I wish we were both home, under our own skies. No matter how used to I get to this forest, it will always be strange. Even different spirits walk these strange skies._

"Maplebreeze?" Lakepaw's quiet, but brittle voice brought the golden brown tabby she-cat back to the present.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Maplebreeze stuttered, switching her gaze back to her small gray tabby daughter. A wild breeze disturbed the tops of the trees and made the grass wave and bend like ripples on the lake, stirring the edges of her sleek misty gray pelt. "Lakepaw, my daughter," Maplebreeze murmured, shifting closer to the smaller gray and white she-cat. "I have noticed recently that you have been more quiet and aloof than normal. You've been detached and curt with me and everyone else. Can you tell me what's going on and what I can do to help you? Please?"

Lakepaw nodded mutely, her gaze on the flattened grass between them, before raising her gaze, her yellow eyes sorrowful. Maplebreeze waited anxiously as the moments ticked by, seeming to take seasons. Finally, Lakepaw began in a quavery voice, speaking slowly at first then the words tumbled off her tongue, almost like she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep talking if she slowed down. "I know I have been icy and aloof lately. I'm sorry. I have been feeling brushed aside by you and just about everyone else. Everyone is so occupied with the rogues and caught up in the seriousness of the issue that it seems like everyone has forgotten about the most important things. I've tried to push it away because I know that you are busy being deputy and Brackenstep is balancing helping out in the medicine cat's and performing the regular warrior duties. I don't want to be a burden, so I've tried to get past it, but my feelings just keep coming back. I wouldn't have gone with Breezeclaw, Sorrelpaw, and Emberpaw because I know we are needed back in MountainClan territory, but I couldn't stand being separated from them as well as you. I-I I-I miss you, M-Maplebreeze. I m-miss our home and the way things used to be." Lakepaw finished in a rush, turning her gaze to her mother, her yellow eyes clouded with sadness.

"Oh, Lakepaw, I wish you had told me sooner." Maplebreeze mewed, wrapping her tail around her daughter and covering her face with licks. "It's okay. You are a talented young cat, Lakepaw. You will never be a burden to this clan. You are my daughter, and I am your mother. Please don't ever ever be afraid to tell me anything. I love you with all of my heart. Always remember that emotion doesn't make us weak, don't ever worry about that. It will make you stronger inside. Just be who you are, and you are perfect." The golden brown tabby she-cat purred, resting her head on top of Lakepaw's whose head was tucked against her chest. For the first time in ages, Maplebreeze felt her daughter relax as if letting out a long sigh she had been holding it for days.

The wind swirled around ruffling their gray and golden-brown fur. Maplebreeze raised her head taking in a deep sniff, feeling better than she had in ages. The wind was coming from a different direction than normal and as Maplebreeze sniffed she could detect a fresh and cold scent, like snow, mix with the minty and green scent of pine on the chilly wind. It reminded her of the lofty snow-capped peaks and gnarled pine groves and the stone hollow, with her clan, family, and friends. _The scent of home._

 **I am so, so sorry that it's been forever. There are so many** **reasons that I haven't had time to write. To make the list short, school, projects, homework, friends, family, etc. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, it is really emotional and took a while to write. If you want more action, I promise this time that the next chapter will have more action and will be called a Prisoner of War. Also, if you liked this, please review! They are the best motivation!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own warrior, they belong Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	22. Chapter 21: Prisoner of War

**Chapter 21 - Prisoner of War**

"Maplebreeze! Hey, Maplebreeze!" A paw jabbed her painfully in the side, jolted the golden brown tabby she-cat out of peaceful sleep, the best she had in ages.

Maplebreeze groaned, opening her eyes to see Spiderleap bending over her, his giant white paw held up, ready to poke her again. "Okay, okay, I'm awake." She sat up, smoothing her pelt with a couple of fast licks. "What is it?"

"The rogue is awake. Specklestar wants your there to question him. Now." Spiderleap said gruffly, relaying his leader's orders, and then swung around, stalking out of the den. Maplebreeze quickly groomed her fur, picking out broken twigs and scraps of moss from her tangled pelt. She finished quickly and trotted out of the den, heading for the small cave where the gray tom from the Dark Fangs was being held.

"Good, you're here, Maplebreeze." Snowstar turned, beckoning her deputy to stand by her with a swoop of her long tail as Maplebreeze hurried over to the three of them.

"Before we go in, I would like to say something." Specklestar meowed, barring their way, a grim expression on her face. "This cat holds my clan's survival in his paws. With information from him, we can win. Without it, we will fall. You may all ask questions, but be careful with what you tell him. He cannot know how weak we are, or any of our secrets. I have also told all of the cats to stay away so that they don't have any contact whatsoever. He must not learn anything valuable information from us. We must learn useful information from him. Understood?"

"Of course."

"Absolutely," Maplebreeze replied, seconds after Snowstar. The MountainClan deputy felt a prick of anger as she noticed that the ThunderClan leader's words were directed at her and the MountainClan leader.

Maplebreeze nodded to Birchshade and Cinderpaw, who stood on guard, flanking the sides of the crevice and the four of them ducked through the small entrance. The tiny cave opened up into a larger room, the ceiling sloping up to about a tail-length above her head, and the walls opened to about ten pawsteps across and thirteen deep. A thin trail of light wormed it's way through the small entrance and fell on the scruffy young tom who was curled in a sparse nest.

The rogue raised his head as they approached, his yellow eyes wide as he glanced around, his gaze settling on the four of them as they approached. "Wh-who are you? Where am I?" He asked agitatedly, rising to his face on shaky paws.

"My name is Specklestar, leader of ThunderClan. This is my deputy, Spiderleap, and they are the leader and deputy of MountainClan, Snowstar, and Maplebreeze." Snowstar offered, avoiding his second question. The young tom blinked, looking confused as he sat and stared at the four strangers who had moved to stand in a line before him.

"What is your name, young one?" Snowstar inquired, stepping forward to study the rogue.

"T-Twist. Why am I here?"

"Our warriors captured you during a skirmish. We brought you here because you are our prisoner. A prisoner of war." Specklestar growled, the tip of her tail furiously beating the sandy floor of the cave.

"What do you want with me? Where am I?" Twist asked, glancing frantically around. The young tom looked like he was growing more upset and frightened by the moment as he moved to pace feverishly back and forth, his gaze flitting nervously around.

"We ask the questions here." Spiderleap snapped.

"Snowstar," Maplebreeze whispered leaning over to speak into the leader's ear. "It looks like this is too personal for Specklestar and Spiderleap. If they keep frightening him, we may never get any answers out of him. Maybe we should wait until they've calmed down or another cat should question him."

"Yeah, I agree. We need to tread lightly here." Snowstar murmured. "Specklestar, I need to speak with you a moment. Spiderleap as well." The MountainClan leader cooed as she trotted over to the distraught leader and deputy, leading them out of the den.

Maplebreeze watched them go, and once they had disappeared through the narrow entrance, she turned back to the member of the Dark Fangs. "Hello, Twist. My name is Maplebreeze."

"H-hi." He stuttered, looking more like a frightened kit than a ferocious rogue.

"How are you? Are you comfortable?"

"F-fine."

"Good. Then would you mind if I ask a few questions?" Maplebreeze settled herself comfortably on the sandy ground, trying to appear confident as she tucked her tail around her paws. Nervousness bubbled up inside her, despite her need to appear calm and collected. She had questioned cats before when MountainClan territory was invaded by rogues, and they needed leverage, but the survival of four clans hadn't depended on it then.

"O-okay." The gray tom fidgeted, sweeping his tail across the earth and shuffling his paws. "I don't have much choice, though, do I?"

"Where are you from, Twist? Do you have any family?" Maplebreeze asked casually, pointedly changing the subject.

"I-I had a sister and mother, but they were killed many moons ago. I live with my father at the Dark Fang's camp." Twist answered, sighing as he stared at the dark cave wall. Maplebreeze couldn't quite tell what he was feeling, but the young tom's gaze look dismal and frightened.

"Why do you look so sad, Twist? You can talk to me if anything is going on." Maplebreeze assured him, her curiosity peaking as the tom turned his head away, blinking sadly. When he didn't reply, Maplebreeze fidgeted anxiously, wondering if he would. The quiet lapsed into a long silence, and it seemed to drag on and on for moons as Maplebreeze watched the ragged rogue carefully.

The long silence was interrupted by the sound of footsteps padding on sand. Maplebreeze turned to see Snowstar returning. The gray and white patched leader sat beside her, looking from her deputy to the battered tom. "What's going on?" The MountainClan leader asked softly.

"I asked him a question that I'm waiting him to answer. It could be substantial." Maplebreeze whispered back.

Both she-cats turned as Twist shifted in his dry nest, the loose twigs and leaves crackling and breaking. He looked up at them, his round yellow eyes sorrowful.

"What is it, Twist? You can talk to us, you know." Snowstar inquired.

The little rogue shook his head, for some reason unwilling to tell them. "No, no I can't talk about it. I won't." Twist fidgeted, cowering under their gazes.

"My name is Snowstar, and I'm the leader of MountainClan. Here in the clans, we all take care of each other. We all take turns hunting and patrolling to fed our elders, queens, and kits and to keep our territory safe. It's an amazing life, we all take care of each other and look out for one another. The Warrior Code is a code of rules that governs us and helps us live honorably and justly. What do you think about that?" Snowstar inquired, gazing down at Twist.

The ragged gray tom swallowed visibly, taking a few deep breathes. "I think it all sounds amazing. Where I've grown up - with the Dark Fangs - every cat just cares for themselves. There is no honor, kindness, loyalty, or fairness. There is only darkness and fear. Only the strong, the power-hungry, the ambitious, and those willing to get to get their paws dirty survive. Everyone else must meekly serve."

"Okay. You see, the Dark Fangs have been attacking us and the other clans and us for a while now, and they won't stop until we are destroyed. They have harmed our young and old, killed our loved ones, friends, and clanmates. And to what gain? Merely because they can. They will take away our core beings, without a second thought. The clans may not always lie in peace, but we live honorably. The Dark Fangs have no honor, and they will not stop until we are destroyed. What do you think about that, Twist?" Snowstar questioned, her tone getting stronger as she made her point.

"Th-that's wrong, I guess." He stuttered, looking very overwhelmed by Snowstar's statement. "I see now that what my group is doing is wrong." He continued stronger this time. "If I can do anything to help you, I want to. I want to be good and try to fix what my father and the Dark Fangs are doing."

"Good. Then you'll answer our questions." Maplebreeze meowed, silently cheering inside at Snowstar's tactful persuading. "What-"

"Did you say 'my father'?" Snowstar cut the golden tabby she-cat off. "Your father is apart of the Dark Fangs? Who is he?"

"I-I can't answer that." Twist quickly replied, trembling slightly.

"It's okay, Twist. You can trust us." Maplebreeze said consolingly, padding close to the thin tom to place her tail on his shoulder. "So please tell us, who is your father?"

Twist continued to tremble, his entire body shaking with fear, but Maplebreeze couldn't exactly figure out who it was of. Her, Snowstar and the clans or his mysterious father?

Finally, the young rogue looked up his yellow eye big and round, showing terror that seemed to be deeply lodged inside of his body. Fear that he must live in every day of his life. "M-my father is Ash, the second-in-command of the Dark Fangs."

 **Wow, I can't believe I'm already finished Chapter 21! I've been working on this story for forever, and it is about two-thirds done! Also, as always please review! I have not gotten any in awhile so it would be great to hear your opinions and suggestions for this story. Thanks for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but unfortunately, they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maple**


	23. Chapter 22: Desperate Measures

**Chapter 22 - Desperate Measures**

Maplebreeze recoiled with surprise and exchange a startled look with Snowstar. Her leader's yellow eyes were stretched wide in amazement, but there was a shadow of doubt and urgency in them, and she beckoned Maplebreeze to the entrance of the den, where they could talk out of earshot of the young tom.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Snowstar asked once they were sitting outside the cave, in the shadow cast by the tall walls of the hollow.

"I think so. Your speech was very persuasive, and Twist seems to be seeing things from our point of view. We can't know for sure, but it can't hurt to see if he has valuable information. Think what information we could glean from him! It could give us the leverage to deliver a fatal blow to the Dark Fangs!" Maplebreeze said enthusiastically.

"You forget he could also be lying. This whole thing could be a trick. He could be playing us and give us false information that could lead us into a trap." Snowstar meowed, letting out her misgivings. "We all could be captured or worse."

"He could also be telling the truth," Maplebreeze suggested. "Larkflight, Finchfang, and Gorestep surprised him when they captured him. It doesn't make sense that he would have time to talk with others to form a plan when he was caught by surprise. And we will be keeping him under surveillance so he can't sneak off to give another Dark Fangs cat intel."

"You have a point," Snowstar admitted, though her tail still flicked uneasily. "We should let Snowstar and Spiderleap know. They will want us to let them know and be here when we question them further."

"Yes, of course. I'll go get them." Maplebreeze agreed, stepping out into the sunlight and heading across the camp. Specklestar and Spiderleap had retreated to the central part of the camp, and the two were conversing quietly in the shade of the Highledge. They looked up as Maplebreeze approached, her paws making soft thumps on the dusty ground. The bright sun of midday shone brightly down on ThunderClan's camp covering almost the entire hollow in pale yellow light. Shadows from the fresh green foliage of the tall trees above the hollow danced gently on the ground and far above them, the high-pitched songs of birds drifted through the treetops.

"Specklestar, we have some information you'll want to hear. Can you come back to Twist's den?" Maplebreeze informed them.

"Yeah, of course," Specklestar stood up, eagerly trotting back the way she had come, Spiderleap bounding close behind her and Maplebreeze followed.

"What is it?" Specklestar asked when they reached the den and Snowstar met them at the front of the crevice.

"We have established a tentative bond of trust with Twist, and it seems like he is seeing things from our perspective now. But before I tell you, you can't go rushing in there demanding more answers." Snowstar cautioned. "He is very shy, and it took us while to reach him. We need to continue showing him kindness if he is going to keep trusting us. Okay?" Specklestar and Spiderleap nodded. They both appeared to have calmed down and were thinking sensibly. "Good. He has trusted us enough to tell us that he is the son of Ash, the deputy of the Dark Fangs."

"What?" Spiderleap said, in his growly voice, his yellow eyes wide, while Speckletar was staring at the pair of them like they were crazy.

"How could this be true?" Specklestar wondered out loud. "We've been fighting the rogues for moons, and we've never heard anything like this."

"It was hard to believe at first for us," Snowstar admitted. "I can imagine that Ash would do everything in his power to keep his relation to Twist a secret. Cats could take advantage of Twist's knowledge and relationship with Ash. Which, I think could be the key to winning this war. I don't like it, but we've got to do what we need to do to protect the clans."

Specklestar shook her head as if shaking off the doubt. "This is finally the break we've been waiting for. If we can get critical information out of him, we can turn the tide to win the war." She meowed hopefully. The speckled leader stood taller, with confidence, her tail raised and not practically dragging in the dust like it had been for a long time. Her step was sure as she entered the den and her blue eyes hopeful.

Spiderleap followed her; his ears flattened nervously against his head, and he moved protectively to his leader's side, his head swiveling this way and that as if a rogue could attack them at any moment. Maplebreeze and Snowstar followed the other leader and deputy back into the cave, stopping side by side next to their ThunderClan counterparts a couple of pawsteps from Twist.

"My name is Specklestar, leader of ThunderClan." Specklestar calmly introduced herself again. "This is the ThunderClan deputy, Spiderleap, and you already know Snowstar and Maplebreeze of MountainClan." Spiderleap let out a quiet growl, his ears still flattened, and yellow eyes narrowed.

"I'm Twist." The young tom said bravely, despite Spiderleap's accusing gaze. "I want to help." He continued, more confident than before. "My father and the Dark Fangs have attacked the cats of the clans ruthlessly, and now, I see that it is wrong. I too have made mistakes, and now I hope I can atone for them, by doing what's right and helping you. I believe you are honorable, good cats and I want to help defeat my father."

"That's very brave, Twist." Specklestar meowed cordially. "We - the clans - have been weakened and we need help to turn the tide the war. We believe you can provide us with that information."

"I will do my best," Twist promised, sitting a little straighter.

"Hold on," Spiderleap growled, stalking forward. "How do we know you're honest? It's possible that you will betray us and give us false information that will lead to a trap."

"I-I have no way to prove that I'm telling the truth." Twist answered, his voice wavering and cowered a little as Spiderleap, advanced, teeth barred, stopping a whisker length from the tom's face. "But I hope you believe I-I'm telling the truth."

"Why would you tell the truth? You've attacked the clans just like the rest of those pathetic prey-stealers! Why would you suddenly turn and want to help us?" Spiderleap snarled, stalking in a slow circle around the ragged gray rogue.

Twist flinched and but said evenly, "Think what you, want, Spiderleap. I assure you, though; I only want to help."

"That's what they-" Spiderleap snapped.

"Spiderleap, that's enough!" Snowstar interrupted sharply.

Spiderleap turned to her, hissed once softly, and then turned to walk back to crouch beside Specklestar.

"Twist, how many cats are in the Dark Fangs?" Specklestar settled down, along with Maplebreeze and Snowstar, though the big black and white tom remained standing, as the ThunderClan leader began to question the young tom.

Twist didn't reply right away, a thoughtful look on his face as the minutes ticked by. "It's hard to tell." He answered truthfully. "There is so many cats, that I haven't even met everybody. There is probably over one hundred cats, though because my father seems confident that he has enough cats to take on the Clans."

"That sounds honest enough." Maplebreeze murmured in Snowstar's ear. "From what I've seen there is quite a lot of cats in the Dark Fangs. Other than Ash, I've only seen a couple of them even twice."

"How does the hierarchy work in the Dark Fangs?" Snowstar asked. "The Clans have a leader, then deputy, then warriors, then apprentices."

"It's also not very clear. There is my father, Ash who is the second-in-command to Strike; then there are his most loyal cats. Ash calls them 'lieutenants.' They are the strongest, smartest, fiercest, and most powerful cats in the Dark Fangs. The rest are just there out of fear, younger, older, have kits, or believe in his cause, but haven't proved themselves worthy to become a lieutenant." Twist informed them.

"Wow," Specklestar meowed, just about summing up all of their thoughts.

"Twist, what can you tell us about Strike, the leader of the Dark Fangs?"

Spiderleap questioned, his voice more curious than hostile now.

"Strike, our leader, I mean, their leader is very mysterious. He rarely comes out of his den in the camp; I've only seen him leave camp a couple of times and he never addresses all of his cats. He only converses with Ash and the Lieutenants in private to come up with strategies and plans of attack. I've only seen him a couple of times, but he's a brown and black tabby cat with green eyes, a white mark on his chest, and a long scar down his shoulder and one of his ears are shredded as well." Twist stated, his eyes closed, thinking hard. "Oh, and he's also missing one eye that has got a long scar on it. Everyone is afraid of him for it. He makes up for being half blind though with his very sharp ears, thought. Nothing gets passed him." Twist said, his eyes haunted, and he glanced around nervously as if Strike could leap out of the shadows and attack him at any moment.

"What is he like? How does he act?" Maplebreeze inquired, trying to glean a better idea of what the elusive leader of the Dark Fangs.

The was another long pause as Twist stared thoughtfully off into the distance. At last, he replied, "He is very quiet and has never made a big show out of anything. He always kept to himself and but he liked to sit for long periods outside his den, just watching the goings on in camp. It unnerves everyone the way his piercing gaze sources the camp. Ash would complain to me sometimes because he was always described Strike as cold and calculating and Ash was frustrated that he couldn't be more passionate and take action when he wanted him to. But my father always seemed frightened of him, but he never told me why. That's why I think Ash never challenged Strike for the leadership of the Dark Fangs."

"Good. Thank you for telling us about Strike. This information will be very helpful. Can you tell us the location of the Dark Fangs' camp?" Snowstar questioned, voicing the question that they were all waiting on edge to get to.

Twist looked up, startled. "D-do I have to tell you that?" He asked reluctantly.

"Yes," Specklestar said firmly. "Twist, if you believe that the clans are right, honorable, and just, you will tell us the information. If you feel that what the Dark Fangs is doing is ruthless and wrong, you will help us."

Twist nodded, but his eyes were still clouded with uncertainty. "Okay," he started, a little unsure. "The Dark Fangs' camp in the northeast of here, high in the hills, past the pool where your medicine cats go every full moon." The ragged gray tom paused to draw in a shaky breath. "If you follow the stream that leads to the pool and keep going into the hills, you will find a large red rock covered in pine needles and half-submerged in the side of a hill. Keep going and you will find two tall and thin pine trees that look almost identical and grow close together, too close for a cat to fit through. Just beyond them is a steep incline, look for a crevice surrounded by bramble bushes that leads to the camp. It is the only entrance and exit to the camp. It is a long and narrow hollow cut into a steep hill. Bramble bushes cover the top, so it is hard to reach, and it is too high jump down."

Maplebreeze glanced excitedly at Snowstar, and her leader smiled excitedly back at her. We finally have a chance to turn the tide of this war! We can attack and take them by surprise and deliver a hard, if not fatal blow to the Dark Fangs! They will finally get what they deserve for attacking our elders and kits! Maplebreeze thought fiercely.

She turned to in Specklestar's and Spiderleap's direction and saw the ThunderClan leader grinning in what looked like the first time in forever. Even Spiderleap looked more hopeful than Maplebreeze had ever seen him before. After all the terrible things that had happened to the clans, here, finally was something hopeful. A ray of sunlight in the midst of a storm, that gave a fleeting, but a hopeful promise of better times to come, that the storm would break and the clans would live to see another ray of sunlight.

"Thank you, Twist," Specklestar meowed formally. "We are done with questions for now. I'll have one of the apprentices bring you some prey. Let's go." Specklestar bounded out of the den, her step light, and head high. Spiderleap strolled close behind, his tail in the air. Maplebreeze trotted after them, and she could hear Snowstar follow more slowly.

Maplebreeze stopped short just outside the den, spotting Specklestar who was sitting near the cold stone wall of the hollow her head tilted, staring solemnly at the stars. She acknowledged the golden brown tabby she-cat with a small nod of her head as Maplebreeze sat beside her.

"You know, I've been looking to the stars even since the rogues started attacking the clans, wondering if our ancestors are watching over us up there. I've been frustrated because they are supposed to guide us, but they've been silent." Specklestar murmured, her gaze still fixed on the twinkling stars in Silverpelt. "But now, it's almost like they've sent us a sign, by sending Twist. They want us to win and even though they are silent and elusive, it's comforting to think that they are close by, that they are behind us, rooting for us. I just hope that we can honor their memories by doing our best to save our clans."

 **Hi all, thanks for reading and sorry that it took so long. The next chapter should be up soon! Please review!**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze don't own warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter.**


	24. Chapter 23: For Victory!

**Chapter 23 - For Victory!**

Maplebreeze trotted along the squishy sand at the edge of the lake, just out of reach of the waves that lapped rhythmically against the shoreline. A gentle gust of wind rustled the tips of her fur, shaking the golden brown hairs this way and that. Maplebreeze paused to stare out over the dark waters, and she saw the gust stir the faintest ripples on the lake that blurred the frosty reflections of the bright stars above them.

A soft tail rested suddenly on Maplebreeze's shoulder. The golden brown tabby she-cat turned her head slightly to see Brackenstep, her mate standing near her, a wistful expression on his light brown face.

"Hi," She murmured, tucking her head beneath his chin for a moment as the MountainClan warrior rasped his tongue over her head. Brackenstep didn't reply but allowed Maplebreeze to lean on him, comfortingly supporting her. In the last few days, the golden brown tabby she-cat had been busy, occupied with pressing matters of the clans and developing strategies for battle. Maplebreeze was exhausted and stressed from the intense hours of work and she had missed spending time with those who meant the most to her. In them, she had found the strength to go on, they and every cat in the entire Clans depended on her and the other leaders and deputies of the Clans.

Specklestar, Snowstar, Spiderleap and she had questioned Twist more, and the young tom had willingly answered, giving them a better idea of how the Dark Fangs worked. Now, as they headed to the Gathering on the Island, Specklestar and Snowstar planned to present this information to the other Clans, asking them for help to attack and possibly defeat their dangerous enemy once and for all. A lot depended on this night; it could change the course of the war and save countless more lives.

 _I just hope everything goes as planned and the other clans agree to help us._ Maplebreeze thought hopefully, despite the tiredness lingering in her muscles. _This is the thing we've been waiting for. We now have the leverage we need to win._

Maplebreeze stumbled over a stick but caught herself in time. She returned her attention back to the trek ahead of her. The large group mixed of ThunderClan and MountainClan cats, smaller than normal because they had left more warriors and apprentices home in case of a rogue attack.

They had left the condensed trees of ThunderClan's forest a couple of minutes before. Now, they were in the middle of WindClan territory with the massive outline of the island where the Gatherings were held, looming in the distance.

In the quiet and stillness of the night, Maplebreeze could hear Swiftleap, who she had learned was Bouldertail's brother, and Sparrowshade were chatting about she-cats as the padded along in front of them. Supposedly, Sparrowshade thought Skypaw; an older ThunderClan apprentice had taken a liking to the light gray tabby ThunderClan warrior. Just behind them, Cherrycloud and Molefoot conversed quietly and the apprentices who had been chosen to go, chatted like a nest of baby birds. Hawkpaw was showing off to the young ThunderClan apprentices, Dustpaw, and his sister Cinderpaw while Emberpaw watched, purring in amusement.

"Hey, Maplebreeze!" Sorrelpaw chirped, taking her parents by surprise. The tortoiseshell apprentice pranced around cheerfully, her paws flinging up water as she leaped and spun in the shallows of the lake, undisturbed by the wetness or the chilled water.

"Sorrelpaw, get out of there," Brackenstep ordered, approaching the water's edge but refusing to go any further. Like almost every other MountainClan cat, the light brown tabby tom didn't like getting his paws wet. "We need to get moving, now's not the time to play games. It may be Newleaf, but the water is still cold. You could get sick, and the clans need every cat to be healthy." He gently scolded the young apprentice.

"But it's not cold here, like up in MountainClan territory." Sorrelpaw protested, but complied and padded out of the lake, shaking water from her wet fur. "Besides, it's still early; we don't have to hurry. The Gathering isn't going to start for a while."

"You forget, that here, Sorrelpaw, all of the clans have to be at the Gathering, so we have to hurry to make sure they don't start without us." Brackenstep flicked his white tipped tail over his daughter's shoulder. "There will be other clans at the Gathering that are hostile and fierce, so be respectful and stick close to your brother, me, Nettlewhisker, or Stoneshade and don't pick any fights."

"Yup got it," Sorrelpaw said sullenly.

"Now, go run along and find the other apprentices," Brackenstep instructed.

"Okay!" Sorrelpaw meowed, her perkiness returning as she bounded away.

"Don't forget to find us when we get to the Island!" Brackenstep called after her retreating form.

Maplebreeze purred fondly, her mood lightened, as she watched her excited daughter skip off into the night, before turning to head in the direction of RiverClan territory once again. "It's good to see the young ones so carefree." She commented as Brackenstep fell into step with her.

"I just hope she won't pick a fight with the fiercest ShadowClan warrior." Brackenstep worried. "Or step on a WindClan elder's tail. You never know with that one."

"Lighten up, Brackenstep," Maplebreeze meowed, nudging him with her shoulder playfully. "She'll be fine if she stays near one of the mentors or Emberpaw. Hey, look on the bright side, if the Dark Fangs cats make an appearance, she'll be so excited and talk so much all of their tongues fall out and we won't even have to fight." Both of them chuckled at that one and then grew quiet, padding steadily on.

The MountainClan and ThunderClan cats reached the Island halfway to moonhigh and began to cross the tree-bridge one by one. Maplebreeze let most of the Clan cats pass before her and push their way through the thickly tangled bushes surrounding the edge of the Island before she crossed. When it was her turn, Maplebreeze leaped lightly onto the tree trunk, glancing nervously at the water lapping at the bottom of the trunk below her. She hesitantly crossed it and sprang down, hurrying away from the cold lake.

Maplebreeze emerged into the crowded clearing, buzzing with chatter from the cats of all sizes and pelt colors that milled about, their pelts blending dizzily with the greens and browns of the glade. Padding forward, she plunged into the consented throng.

Maplebreeze wove her way through the crowd, dodging resting tails and outstretched paws as she made her way toward the roots of the great oak tree. She padded past a group of her clanmates who had found a place to sit at outskirts of the clearing. Morningfrost, Nettlewhisker, Sagefrost, and Stoneshade sat close together, deep in conversation.

"Hey, Stoneshade!" Maplebreeze shouted over the chatter coming from the cats around her. The blue eyed tom raised his head. "If you see Sorrelpaw, can you make sure she doesn't get into trouble?"

Stoneshade waved his tail to show he'd heard and turned his attention back to whatever conversation he was having with Morningfrost and Nettlewhisker.

"Hi, Sagefrost," Maplebreeze called brightly, noticing the pale ginger she-cat was sitting a little way away from the others, looking melancholy as she stared off into the distance. Sagefrost nodded, but when she didn't reply, Maplebreeze turned to head once again toward the tall oak, her tail hanging dejectedly. She had been so busy in the past few days that she hadn't had time for her family, let alone her friends. Sagefrost had been quiet and aloof for some time now, and Maplebreeze wanted desperately to fix their friendship.

On her way to sit with the other deputies, Maplebreeze passed groups of RiverClan, WindClan, ThunderClan, and MountainClan cats. The windy, watery, and tree scents that clung to the Clan cats were evident, but strangely, the marshy scent of ShadowClan was missing. _I guess they aren't here yet._ Maplebreeze mused as she climbed up to her space on the roots of the great oak tree. _I wonder why. The Gathering is going to start soon after all._

Above her, Reedstar of RiverClan and Ashstar of WindClan were already in their perches on arching branches overhead. Specklestar and Snowstar were just pushing passed the cats in front of the crowd and clambered up to their places on the towering tree.

The clearing grew quiet as Reedstar raised his tail for silence. "It is almost moonhigh, and ShadowClan have not made an appearance. I think we should begin." He proposed, glancing inquiringly at the other leaders.

"I agree," Ashstar added.

"Wait!" A loud cry rang through the island and Oakstar emerged, panting, from the thick undergrowth. "We're here. Don't start yet." Oakstar was joined by the rest of his patrol, and Maplebreeze was not the only shocked cat to see only four ShadowClan warriors and two apprentices take a seat in a tight-knit group at the edge of the crowd. Oakstar and Nightfeather hurried forward, and the clan cats cleared a path so the ShadowClan leader and deputy could easily stride to take their places.

"What happened?" Maplebreeze asked softly to Nightfeather as the scrawny she-cat sat down a little way from the rest of the deputies. The rest for the deputies watched her, anxiously waiting for a reply. Graystorm of WindClan and Shimmerstorm, the deputy of RiverClan exchanged worried glances.

"You'll find out soon enough." The ShadowClan deputy curtly answered as Oakstar clambered shakily to take his place. There was a gasp of alarm as the leader pulled himself up onto a thick branch and teetered for a moment, almost falling, but then regained his balance and took a seat. Oakstar looked like he had aged seasons in the last moon. He was skinny and looked underfed; the golden brown tabby she-cat counted a couple of his ribs through his thin brown coat. There were also several fresh wounds on his face and flanks that looked like they had barely any time to heal.

 _Have the rogues been attacking them more than us? Oakstar looks even weaker and older than at the last Gathering._ Maplebreeze pondered as she turned her gaze to Nightfeather and then to the ShadowClan cats sitting at the back of the group. _Come to think of it, all of the ShadowClan cats are skinny and look recently injured. The rogues must be attacking them more than the rest of us and stealing their prey. I hope that they are strong enough to help us fight the Dark Fangs._

"Let the Gathering begin!" Ashstar announced once Oakstar had settled.

Reedstar stepped forward, but Specklestar cut in before he could speak. "I would like to go first this evening." She meowed. Reedstar looked annoyed but sat down again. "Snowstar and I have some critical news to announce. ThunderClan is doing fine, but like the rest of you, the rogues continue to attack and plunder our territory, but it is Newleaf the there is plenty of prey."

"The MountainClan cats that are here with me are also doing well, and we thank ThunderClan for their hospitality," Snowstar added, rising to her paws on the branch to the right of Specklestar.

"Now, onto the important news," Specklestar started, her blue eyes glinting excitedly in the moonlight. "Recently, our warriors have captured a young rogue in a skirmish with the Dark Fangs. This cat is a relative of a high-ranking member of the Dark Fangs, and he has supplied us with valuable intel."

"We now know how the Dark Fangs work, the number of cats they have, their strategies, and the location of their camp," Snowstar informed them proudly.

"So we are asking all of you," Specklestar went on. "If each and every one of the clans would join and attack the Dark Fangs. With all of our forces combined, we should have enough cats to match or overpower the Dark Fangs and chase them out once and for all! What do you say?"

The cats cheered, their hopes renewed with the prospect of winning the war. Maplebreeze glanced up at the leaders uncertainly and was relieved to see Reedstar and Ashstar nodding and smiling. But Oakstar's solemn face confused her.

Once the cheering had died down, Oakstar stepped forward. "This is hopeful news, Specklestar." He acknowledged. "But I'm afraid ShadowClan will not be helping. The rogues have struck down on us, attacking every border and hunting patrol. They attacked our camp two nights ago, killing one of our elders, Blackfrost and injuring many warriors. Our youngest apprentice Russetpaw was almost killed in a fight earlier this moon. We don't know if she'll survive. Nearly all of my warriors are hurt, and our medicine cat is up to his ears in work. ShadowClan has been significantly weakened, and we can no longer go on like this. We are leaving the lake at dawn." With this grave statement, the ShadowClan leader leaped down from the tree and made his way through the crowd, leaning Nightfeather for support. Concerned eyes followed them as the ShadowClan leader and deputy padded through the crowd to join their small group of clanmates.

"Wait!" Snowstar called from her perch as the ShadowClan cats were about to disappear into the undergrowth. The gray patched leader ran to the edge of her branch, leaning down over the crowd as she clung to the thin branch. "Oakstar, isn't there another way? It says in the warrior code that in times of trouble the clans must forget their boundaries and fight together. The Clans must help each other so that no Clan will fall. We can help you. Fight with us, and we will end this war once and for all. We must stand together to defeat the Dark Fangs. The Clans will fall without ShadowClan."

The were murmurs of agreement from the other Clan cats at Snowstar's plea. All eyes were on the group of eight ShadowClan cats.

Oakstar sighed noisily. "Thank you for the offer, Snowstar. But I can't let any more of my clanmates die at the paws of the Dark Fangs. I have watched my cats spring into battle for their clan for moons, but I can't ask them to do that anymore against ruthless, honorless cats who will not hesitate to kill us all. I can't ask them to keep fighting when it's fruitless against this impossible enemy." Oakstar turned once again, and no one stopped him as the ShadowClan leader led his clanmates out of the clearing, his brown shoulders slumped, and his tail was dragging behind him in defeat.

Silence filled the glade as the branches of the bushes waved where the ShadowClan cats had disappeared.

 _I can't believe they're really leaving._ Maplebreeze thought, shock leaving her frozen on her paws. _What will we do now? There must be four clans living here. ShadowClan belongs in their territory of pine trees, just like MountainClan belongs on our mountaintop territory._ Maplebreeze sighed, distracted by her longingly for her home, the place she belonged.

The quiet talking of the leaders overhead caught the golden brown tabby she-cat's attention, and she sat still, listening intently.

"That pathetic coward!" Ashstar was snarling furiously. "Without ShadowClan, we are outnumbered, and we stand no chance of winning. Oakstar has doomed us all."

"We must have hope, Ashstar," Specklestar said determinedly. "We will have the advantage of surprise. They don't that that we know a lot about them. We will use this information to strike and catch them unawares. We also have the advantage of having many different talents and strategies. The Dark Fangs are all taught only one way to fight and only a particular group of cats in the Dark Fangs knows their battle plans. I believe that if we all work together, we can still win this, even without ShadowClan."

"But there has always been four clans for a reason. We need ShadowClan. Without them, we will fall!" Reedstar protested.

"No, Reedstar, there are six clans. You forget two. You sent cats to get MountainClan for help to fight the Dark Fangs. That is what we're here to do. We must have hope that even without ShadowClan, we can still win. We also must have faith in StarClan, the sixth clan. We must trust that they are watching us and will help us in our darkest hour. We must have faith.' Snowstar insisted. "It's all we have left and without it, we are nothing, and we will accomplish nothing."

"This is our darkest hour," Reedstar muttered. "But, I agree. We must trust that they will give us the strength to win."

"So, will you fight alongside ThunderClan and MountainClan?" Specklestar asked, her voice ringing for the whole clearing to hear.

A moment passed, and Maplebreeze felt like the entire world was holding its breath as she stared at the faces of the WindClan and RiverClan leaders.

"Yes, WindClan will fight alongside ThunderClan and MountainClan," Ashstar confirmed.

"As will RiverClan." Reedstar meowed.

"Good." Specklestar meowed warmly. Then she turned to the crowd, her head high and tail erect. "ShadowClan may have led the lake, but life still goes on. We will fight the Dark Fangs alongside each other. We will fight as one. Now, go back to your camps, rest, prepare, and train. We will meet at dawn at the border between ThunderClan, WindClan, and unclaimed land three days hence from today. We will attack, and we will win, and we will drive them out once and for all. For victory!"

"For victory!" The call spread like wildfire as cats raised their voices. "For victory! Victory! VICTORY!" The remaining clan cats yowled it into the night sky, loud enough that the stars in Silverpelt could practically hear their united call, a cry of hope and triumph against the rogues that had terrorized them for seasons. "FOR VICTORY!"

 **Wow, that was both fun and hard to write! It is a huge milestone in the story. I think I am officially at the climax of The Forgotten Clan. I have planned for at the minimum four more chapters, but knowing me and how much I write it will most likely be more like five or six. The next chapter might be coming out sometime next week, but with my schedule I'm not promising anything. Anyway, I've decided that this will be a trilogy or maybe, just maybe a full six books! I have no idea why I'm going to title the next book, thought, I will have to think about that. I you have any ideas, leave it it your review! hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Please review!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	25. Chapter 24: Taking Action

**Chapter 24: Taking Action**

Maplebreeze hurried quickly along the edge of the stone camp wall, past a group of older ThunderClan cats and her own clanmates who were taking together in quiet voices. She clutched the bones of her meal that she had eaten in a couple of bites a moment before as she hurried out into the forest to bury the bones. She reached a part of the camp were the tall stone cliffside fell away and was instead filled by a dense thicket of bramble bushes, abundant with sharp thorns that would make their enemies think twice about sneaking through. The sharp thorns snagged on Maplebreeze's fur as she padded through the secure entrance that the brambles were woven together to shape. She trotted out of the camp and choosing a tall aspen tree close to the entrance; she began to dig a hole to bury the bones from her squirrel at the foot of its trunk.

The sky was dark and overcast, and the forest around her was dark, as night still lay heavily on the land. The crowns of trees bent in a breeze high above her, and an owl's hoot from far away rang eerily through the dark woods. In the sky, crisscrossed by arching branches, a few stars poked their heads out among the clouds and a waning moon shone blurrily through the cloud cover.

Maplebreeze scooped out a shallow hole with her paws and dumped the bones into it. Pushing the dirt back over the hole, she and hastened back toward the entrance.

There was an air of tense anticipation as Maplebreeze entered the camp again. It was still early, as there was not even hint of the sun, but the camp was awake and buzzing with activity. Most of the MountainClan and ThunderClan warriors already stood outside their respective dens, pacing impatiently and talking quietly to each other as they waited for the leaders to announce it was time to leave. The apprentices tussled, though it was less playful and half-hearted as even they knew what was ahead of them. The medicine cat's den was busy as Pebblefur and Birdpaw, aided by a couple of apprentices, bustled about, gathering together bundles of traveling herbs to strengthen their clanmates.

It had been three days since Specklestar and Snowstar had rallied the Clans and since ShadowClan had left the lake. Now, it was the early morning of the third day, the day when the Clans would attack and do their best to defeat their enemy; the rogue cats of the Dark Fangs.

Maplebreeze headed toward the clump of ThunderClan warriors and wove among them, exchanging greetings and encouraging words to with the cats that had grown so familiar to her over the last moon.

"Good luck, Cherrycloud," The MountainClan deputy meowed, touching noses with the senior ThunderClan warrior.

"And to you as well," Cherrycloud purred, her amber eyes warm, but there was a worried glint in them. "May it be StarClan's will that we all come home safe."

Maplebreeze smiled in return and then padded on her way, touching noses first with Finchfang, then greeted Bouldertail.

"Hello," The dark gray tom said. The tip of his tail that was stretched out behind him was flicking back and forth, and his green gaze was flitting all over, as if he was an overwhelmed kit outside the nursery for the first time, trying to take everything in at once.

"Nervous?" Maplebreeze meowed sympathetically, taking a seat beside the young ThunderClan tom and wrapping her feather-like tail over her paws.

"Yeah, I am. This will be my first huge battle." Bouldertail admitted.

"I was was very nervous the first time I went into battle," Maplebreeze told him.

"MountainClan doesn't have any Clans near it, so who were you fighting?" Bouldertail asked curiously.

"The Leafbare before last, MountainClan also had some rogues who were trying to take over our territory. They were not as organized as the Dark Fangs and nowhere near as big, but it did take us a while to drive them out." The MountainClan deputy explained. "I was just a new warrior then, on patrol with my former mentor, Silverflight, she's Dewstorm's sister, Thrushfang, and Shimmermist, another cat who stayed behind. She was Shimmerpaw then and Thrushfang's apprentice. We were on high alert as we patrolled the borders of our territory because only a couple days before, another border patrol had been attacked by seven or eight rogues.

"Suddenly, rogues seemed to come out of nowhere and swooped down on us, taking us by surprise. Silverflight and Thrushfang sprang into battle, and Shimmerpaw ran for help, but I just froze. I had been in fights before, but they were just mock-battles against my clanmates. This was the real deal.

"All of a sudden, a rogue slammed into me, and I had to defend myself. I forgot my anxiousness, and I let my instincts from moons of battle training take over. There were only about five rogues, and they weren't very well trained, so Thrushfang, Silverflight and I were able to defeat them. It was the first victory in that long war.

"So, my advice; stick close to your allies and clanmates so they can help you, and you can help them. Don't try to think too much; in the heat of the moment you'll just have to react, and don't worry, your training will come back to you as you go. You have more experience with fighting then I did then, with all of the skirmishes with the Dark Fangs, so you know what it's like. But I can understand being anxious. Much depends on us winning today. Oh, and most important of all, trust your instincts, and you'll do fine." Maplebreeze reassured him.

"Thank you for the tips, Maplebreeze," Bouldertail smiled, touching noses with her. Maplebreeze nodded and smiled back, before moving on to speak with other ThunderClan cats.

 _We can do this!_ Maplebreeze thought determinedly; her confidence hopes lifted even more after she had greeted Larkflight and Shrewtail briefly, who echoed her hope for a victory that day. _ThunderClan and MountainClan are strong. With WindClan and RiverClans' help, we will drive them away once and for all!_ Maplebreeze thought confidently, struck by the way the ThunderClan cats were united; sharing hopes, advice, and wisdom. They were preparing each other for the hard battle ahead of all of them. _This is what means to be a Clan! United, strong, and together to face what's coming. We may have lost ShadowClan, but we are unified. This is an example of what Bramblestar must have meant when he added a new rule to the Warrior Code. Each Clan, now including MountainClan, has a right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble, we must forget our boundaries and fight together to protect all of the Clans. We must help each other so that no Clan will fall. We are joining to fight the Dark Fangs, but we have let ShadowClan fall. When this is all over, we must bring them back to their rightful place by the lake. And MountainClan will go back to our home, the place where we belong._

"Maplebreeze!" The golden brown tabby she-cat jolted out of her thoughts and turned sharply so see Snowstar beckoning her over to where she, Spiderleap and Specklestar were conferring in a small group at the base of the Highledge.

"We need to leave some warriors behind to guard the camp in case the Dark Fangs attack. I don't want to leave our elders, queen, and kits vulnerable." Specklestar was saying as the MountainClan deputy approached. "Who should stay?"

"I can stay," Spiderleap volunteered, lifting his head, a confident but serious look in his yellow eyes. "I will protect the elders, queens, and kits with my life."

"Alright. Good, Spiderleap," Specklestar meowed to her deputy.

"Of my cats, I think Nettlewhisker, Stoneshade, Fernbreeze, and Frostpaw should stay." Snowstar decided. "I know that they will understand the importance of staying behind to protect the young and old even though they aren't our clanmates."

"Then I'll have Cherrycloud, Skypaw, and Swiftleap stay as well," Specklestar said, listing names of her clanmates who she trusted to keep their young and old cats safe. "And of course, Spiderleap, you'll be in charge of the camp. Can you let the warriors and apprentices know who will be staying and give them positions to stand guard?"

"Yes, right away," The gruff black and white tom turned, striding hastily across the clearing to address the gathered warriors.

"What should I do?" Maplebreeze asked, looking intently at the pair of leaders.

"Maplebreeze, can you check to see how the medicine cats are getting along?" Specklestar requested. "I want to to know if Pebblefur and Birdpaw need more help if they need to gather more herbs and when they will be ready to leave. Snowstar and I are planning to collect the cats to leave soon, so we'll be on time to meet the other Clans."

"Of course," Maplebreeze dipped her head to the ThunderClan and MountainClan leaders and then turned to go, trotting across the clearing towards the medicine cat's den. "Pebblefur? Birdpaw?" The golden brown tabby she-cat called uncertainly, narrowly avoiding the prickly brambles that hung down from the roof of the cave, screening most of the entrance from the outside world, as she poked her head inside.

"Come on in, Maplebreeze!" Pebblefur answered, his deep meow sounding echoey and coming from the depths of the den. The golden brown tabby she-cat emerged into the dark cave, glancing around for the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"Hey, Maplebreeze," Birdpaw chirped, her bright voice loud in the gloomy den and Maplebreeze jumped. The slim amber-eyed apprentice was sitting to one side on the sandy earth, sorting a jumble of herbs that lay scattered around her into neat piles. A bunch of herbs already in bundles was slashed in a large pile to the left of her.

"Hello, Birdpaw. Where's Pebblefur?" Maplebreeze inquired, looking around for the dark gray dappled tom.

"He's in the back of the den, gathering the other herbs we keep stored in the crevice for emergencies. We're almost out." Birdpaw explained as she returned to her sorting.

"Hello, Maplebreeze," Pebblefur said as he emerged from the narrow crevice in the back wall of the cave after he set down a bunch of oval light green leaves. "Do you need anything?"

"I don't need anything. I'm here because Specklestar wanted to check to see how you are getting along. Do you have enough for traveling herbs for every cat to have enough and enough herbs to heal injured cats afterward?" Maplebreeze asked, conveying Specklestar's questions.

"We do have enough traveling herbs, and it would be great if you could start having our clanmates come in to eat theirs'. Birdpaw just finished putting herbs that we'll probably need for injured cats on the battlefield, but we're running low on horsetail, chervil, dock and some other herbs vital for treating wounds. We'll have to gather some more as soon as possible. Also, Cinderpaw and Dustpaw should be back now with new cobwebs. We'll be ready to go as soon as they return and the cats who are fighting eat their traveling herbs." Pebblefur reported.

"Okay, thanks. I'll send them in right away." The golden brown tabby she-cat promised. After finishing off her traveling herbs in a couple of swift bites, with only a little grimace at the bitterness, she headed outside. Cinderpaw and Dustpaw passed the MountainClan deputy on her way out, and Maplebreeze purred with amusement as she observed the cobwebs the pair of young apprentices had gathered were stuck to their gray pelts, practically covering them.

Maplebreeze jogged over to the ThunderClan warriors, who were pacing as restlessly as ever in front of their den beneath the fallen branches of an ancient beech tree that had fallen moons before. "Pebblefur is ready and needs all of you to get your traveling herbs!" She announced, addressing the ThunderClan warriors. "You can go in a couple at a time."

"Thank you, Maplebreeze," Cherrycloud replied. As the golden brown tabby headed away, she heard the senior warrior start to organize the ThunderClan warriors into groups to get their traveling herbs to strengthen themselves for the looming battle ahead of all of them.

The MountainClan deputy trotted across the still dim camp, heading for the outskirts where the formerly unused caves were located. The MountainClan warriors were still waiting apprehensively outside the largest cave. Maplebreeze zigzagged through the crowd of her fellow MountainClan cats, exchanging greetings with her clanmates like she had with the ThunderClan cats. As Maplebreeze wove through the throng, she scanned her clanmates for Brackenstep. Finally, she spotted him sitting at the edge of the crowd, watching Sorrelpaw, Emberpaw, and Lakepaw who were deep in conversation.

"Hi," Maplebreeze greeted her mate with an affectionate lick over his right ear.

"Hey, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep responded, gently touching his nose to her ear. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," The golden brown tabby she-cat answered confidently. "The Clans are more than ready to fight the Dark Fangs."

"Fight beside me?"

"Always," Maplebreeze assured him.

"Are both of you done yet?" Sorrelpaw asked, a queasy expression on her face.

"Yes," Maplebreeze replied. "Wait, almost." Playfully, the golden brown tabby she-cat leaned into Brackenstep, resting her head on his shoulder. Taking the cue, Brackenstep rasped his tongue exaggeratedly over her head.

"Ewww," Sorrelpaw recoiled, wrinkling her face is disgust. Next to her, Lakepaw giggled loudly.

"Are the three of you ready to fight?" Brackenstep asked, addressing all three of their kits.

"Yes, absolutely," Sorrelpaw meowed enthusiastically. "I will slash those pathetic prey-stealers limb from limb!"

"Are you sure they should be fighting?" Maplebreeze asked Brackenstep worriedly. "They're so young to be participating in a dangerous battle like this. Maybe they should stay here and guard the camp where it's safe. I can ask Snowstar-"

"Maplebreeze, we're ready," Sorrelpaw answered instead, getting to her paws. "We found the Clans by ourselves, and we survived the journey. We've been training hard. We've fought the Dark Fangs before. We can do this."

"Really?" Maplebreeze asked, still concerned for the safety of their kits.

"Yes," Emberpaw added, reassuringly. "We're ready." Lakepaw was silent but nodded in accordance.

"Alright," Maplebreeze agreed reluctantly. "Be safe, stay by your mentors, and don't take any risks. I don't know what I'd do if I lost one of you." The golden brown tabby she-cat fondly licked each of her kits in turning over their heads.

"Be safe, you three." Brackenstep purred, affectionately licking the trio of apprentices as well. "This is a defining day in the events of this war. We might not call these Clans home, but they follow the same rules as us, they look to StarClan, and they are honorable and just. We must all fight our hardest to protect and preserve them. Keep that in mind as you go into battle today. Fight bravely and honorably and may it be StarClan's will that we all come home safe."

"We will, Brackenstep," Lakepaw promised earnestly, stretching her small neck up to touch noses with her father. "You be safe as well."

"Okay, you three, run along now. We will be leaving soon, so go find your mentors." Maplebreeze told them. Sorrelpaw and Emberpaw complied, trotting away toward the crowd of cats. Lakepaw followed more slowly, turning once to wave her fluffy gray tail in goodbye.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Maplebreeze questioned, still concerned for the well being of their kits.

"I think they'll be," Brackenstep replied comfortingly. "They're a lot like you; brave, stubborn, kind, and caring."

"And like you; patient, protective, and fair," Maplebreeze added with a smile. The mates grew silent, as Maplebreeze leaned into Brackenstep's shoulder and the light brown tabby tom rested his chin on her sleek golden brown head.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Specklestar's cry rang through the dusky hollow, calling the Clans together. The leaders stood side by side on the edge of the Highledge, the white parts of their pelts glowing in the dim light of early dawn. The MountainClan and ThunderClan cats eagerly hurried from the depths of the camp and quickly gathered at the foot of the Highledge. Maplebreeze and Brackenstep strode over as well and chose a place at the back of the crowd.

"Clanmates," Specklestar began. "It is almost dawn, and it's time we go to meet the other Clans. Today is the day that we are going to strike at the heart of the Dark Fangs and if it is StarClan's will, defeat them once and for all!"

The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats cheered enthusiastically, rallied by Specklestar's confident announcement.

"Warriors and Apprentices who are remaining behind to guard the elders, queens, and kits, please take up your positions. Fighting cats, let's move out!" Snowstar ordered, as she followed Specklestar and bounded gracefully down the tumble of rocks and vanished into the crowd. The Clan cats were already moving toward the camp entrance, Snowstar, and Specklestar in the lead. Maplebreeze and Brackenstep had to hurry to catch up with the rear of the group.

The warriors and apprentices were unusually quiet as they swiftly trotted in a long line into the dark woods. The forest, lush with thick Newleaf foliage, was still dark, but the dim light was steadily growing brighter as dawn began to break over the woods. The high-pitched songs of birds floated through the towering trees, and the musky scents of prey were evident everywhere, but no small creatures dared to stray close to the large company of traveling cats.

"I'll be right back," Maplebreeze murmured to Brackenstep as she quickened her pace and fell into step with her pale ginger tabby friend, Sagefrost.

"Oh, hey," Sagefrost meowed, glancing swiftly at the golden brown tabby she-cat, then returned her yellow gaze to the ground in front of them.

"Hi, Sagefrost," Maplebreeze replied softly. "I know you have been upset with me and I'm sorry for whatever it is. But could you put it aside for now? I miss you, Sagefrost. I miss my best friend. I want you by my side as we go into battle like we used to. Will you fight alongside me?" Maplebreeze waited tensely for her former friend's answer.

After what seemed like moons, Sagefrost nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on the ground. "I'd like that."

"Thank you, Sagefrost," Maplebreeze murmured. "I've missed you a lot." The MountainClan deputy felt a rush of relief and sighed deeply, feeling lighter than she had in days. _I've finally reconnected with my best friend. After this battle is over, I'm going to make everything right between us. Everything is going to be okay. We're finally doing something. The Dark Fangs have been attacking the Clans for far too long. We're finally taking action against the cats who have done unspeakable harm to the Clans. We will win this and drive them out once and for all! We can do this!_

 **Hi guys, I'm back again with another chapter. This chapter was organically going to have more take place but it got so long I decided to make it two instead of one. My next update probably won't come for a while, thought. Thank you for reading a please review!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	26. Chapter 25 - Fight For The Clans

**Chapter 25 - Fight for the Clans**

"Okay, so let's go over this one more time." Specklestar meowed her slender white paw pointing at the map that was drawn in the dust of the sunlit clearing where the Clan cats had stopped to plan their attack. "This oval represents the Dark Fangs' camp. There is only one entrance at the long end of the camp, so it will be easy to trap the cats inside. We will attack at sunhigh when Twist, the young rogue we captured, informed us that most of the cats are away on patrol. Most of our warriors will be positioned here, ready to attack and trap the rogues inside of the camp. Two smaller patrols will be located here and here, ready to strike if and when a Dark Fangs patrol returns to their camp. If luck is with us, we will be able to defeat the Dark Fangs and drive them away from our borders once and for all."

"Remember, our mission to capture and drive the rogues out, not to kill. The Warrior Code clearly states that 'an honorable warrior does not need to kill to win their battles unless they are outside the Warrior Code or if it is necessary for self-defense.' I know you all must be furious at the Dark Fangs for what they have done to you and your Clans, but we mustn't break the rules that have governed our society for generations." Snowstar added gravely, looking pointedly across the circle from Specklestar to Ashstar to Reedstar.

The Clan cats had set up a base in a clearing close the Dark Fangs camp, but far enough away that patrols of rogues on their way to the Clan territories wouldn't detect the large company of Clan cats. Warriors from all four of the Clans had taken up posts around the perimeter of the wide glade, keeping all of their senses on high alert in case a Dark Fangs cat should discover their presence. The remaining amount of warriors and apprentices were quietly waiting in clumps in the shade of towering pines tree that bordered one side of the glade, while their leaders and deputies conferenced in a circle on the opposite end of the sunny clearing.

The cloudy night had turned into a beautiful day. The sky was blue and dotted with tiny puffs of clean white clouds like a rabbit's fluffy tail. The sun, a little over halfway to its peak, shone down on the forest and warmed Maplebreeze's fur. The twitters and chirps of birds seemed to float through the graceful trees that bent and waved in a lulling breeze. _It seems too nice a day for a battle to take place._ Maplebreeze thought, staring dreamily at the bright blue sky that arched above her.

"We know what the Warrior Code states, Snowstar." Ashstar snapped, bringing Maplebreeze attention back to the cats around her. "Unlike MountainClan, WindClan has been around for seasons upon seasons. We are an original Clan that was formed before even the Warrior Code made! We don't need reminding of the rules that our ancestors helped create." The gray WindClan leader's blue eyes were narrowed, and the dark gray fur at the bottom of her spine was bristling slightly.

Maplebreeze, who was seated next to Specklestar and her leader bristled with indignation at Ashstar's harsh remark. _I can't believe she would say such a thing!_ The golden brown tabby she-cat thought angrily. _That's such a low blow, implying that since MountainClan isn't an original Clan, we don't know what the warrior code truly means! Besides, it's the four Clans that seem to be forgetting what the warrior code says, not MountainClan!_

"MountainClan may not be an original Clan, but we know perfectly well what the warrior code states," Snowstar said coldly; her lips pulled back to reveal clenched white teeth.

Reedstar coughed, breaking the cold silence between Snowstar and Ashstar that had ensued after the MountainClan leader had responded. "I think we should each send two cats on the smaller patrols so that they each have cats of mixed talents and fighting styles. That way the returning patrols of rogues don't know what fighting style to anticipate when we attack them."

"Good idea, Reedstar," Specklestar said smoothly, helping to bring the focus back to the ambush. "The rogues' dens are caves in the sides of the stone wall. At the very end of the camp is the leader, Strike's den. To the left of his den is the cave where his top lieutenants, the strongest and most feral cats in the Dark Fangs stay. If the second-in-command, Ash is there he will probably be in his private den, to the right of Strike's den and in the corner of the ravine. All of the other caves are occupied by the rest of the cats and the one to the right of the entrance is where the older cats, the mothers, and their kits sleep."

"When we attack, I think we should have specific groups of cats who target Strike, Ash, and the lieutenants. From what I've heard from our informant, if we capture and immobilize them, the rest of the cats won't know what do and will surrender quickly. Does that seem okay?" Snowstar asked the other cats.

The other Clan leaders and deputies, minus Spiderleap, nodded in accordance, thoughtful looks on their faces.

"Alright then," Specklestar continued. "We should decide which cats will aim for each high-ranking cat of the Dark Fangs. There should be a right amount of cats going for Ash and Strike, but still, enough left to target his lieutenants and fight the other rogues. We don't know the number of lieutenants, but we do know there is a good amount of them and every last one fierce and merciless. We also don't know what any of them look like, but any cat that is in or near their den likely is one. Also, we are all aware what Ash looks like, and Strike is a large a brown and black tabby cat with green eyes…"

. . .

Maplebreeze crouched in the undergrowth, her muscles tense as she peered through the twisted branches and down the sheer cliffside of the Dark Fangs camp. The golden brown tabby she-cat watched the camp intently as she observed the rogues go about their daily routine. Just as Twist had described, there was a small entrance shrouded by thick bramble bushes that led to a narrow passage lined with crevices and jagged rocks that protruded from the cliff face. The large opening cut its way into the side of a steep hill, and after about a tree-length, it widened into a slightly larger, but still narrow ravine. Over a dozen small caves and holes were located near the bottom of the canyons' jagged walls, with cats of every pelt color busily hurrying about.

At one end of the Dark Fangs camp, two burly cats sat, deep in conversation in front of a dark stone cave with a wide entrance that Maplebreeze assumed was the lieutenants' den as it was located to the right of a crevice with a small round hole for an entry. A short, but sturdy-looking pine tree with arching branches grew close to the lower cave's entrance and looked like it could be used as a high place to perch and overlook the camp.

One of the burly cats was a pale gray and white tom with a large tear down his right ear, and the other was a smooth cream and light brown she-cat with barely healed scars on his muzzle and the right side of his neck that were visible even from Maplebreeze's position. As she watched them, a scraggly young amber-brown tom with long legs and thin fur trotted hurriedly across the camp, carrying a pair of plump mice in his jaws. The young rogue dropped the mice at the pair of muscular cats' feet, cowering in fright as the pale gray tom stood and advanced. The larger tom snapped something sharply as he cuffed one of his paws over, the smaller rogue's ear, spraying drops of crimson blood on the brown dust of the clearing. Maplebreeze flinched as the gray and white tom brought another blow down over the young cat's forehead. The great rogue snapped something again, and the younger one nodded, trembling before hurrying away, without even bothering to lick the blood from his face.

 _I can't believe they treat each other that._ Maplebreeze thought, sickened even more as she observed the cream and brown she-cat just sit there, unreactive as her companion hit the smaller cat. _Those vile cats take advantage of the weaker, defenseless cats, making them work harder than them, and then they treat them poorly. It's no wonder that they want to abolish the Clans. Our groups are exact opposites, as different day and night. It's time we drive out these cruel cats out once and for all._ Maplebreeze shook her head disgustedly as she returned her attention back to the camp below her.

The golden brown tabby she-cat turned her focus back on the caves next to what she assumed was the lieutenants'. The smaller cave to the right of the lieutenants' cave and directly across from the entrance, was the one she thought must be Strike's den. The den to the right of it was more of a tiny crevice in the cliffside than a den, with a large crack for a door. Although, a plush mossy nest was visible from the entrance, so it was used, probably by Ash like Twist had told them.

Movement in the left corner of her eye caught Maplebreeze's attention, and she turned her head slightly to see a ragged tortoiseshell and white she-cat clutching a robin in her jaws as she hurried away from a huge heap of prey close to several small caves located on the opposite wall from where Maplebreeze was hidden. The lean she-cat dodged a group of muscular toms who were too busily eating to notice as she slunk along the high stone cliffside, heading towards the cave nearest to the entrance.

 _She must be one of the mothers if she is moving for the den where Twist said the parents, kits, and old cats live,_ the MountainClan deputy mused, watching as the she-cat hastily made her way toward that particular cave. _I wonder why she is acting so afraid and sneaking around like that?_

Suddenly, just as the she-cat was about to disappear into the den safely, a loud shout stopped her in her tracks. Maplebreeze and the tortoiseshell and white she-cat both whipped around to see a large dark gray tom with severely torn ears marching forward, his yellow eyes narrowed into slits and matching teeth barred.

 _Ash._ Maplebreeze thought, a growl rumbling in her throat. Luckily, she was too far away for anyone but a robin that was sitting on a branch above her head to hear.

Ash strode over to the she-cat, not stopping until he was a mouse-length from her face.

"Please, please, don't hurt me!" The she-cat cried pitifully, cowering in fear in front of the Dark Fangs second-in-command. "My kits need food. They are starved and can't wait until tomorrow."

"Wing," Ash snarled, loud enough for even Maplebreeze to hear as he loomed menacingly over the skinny she-cat. "Have the Dark Fangs given you and your kits shelter? Have we not fed and protected you?"

"Y-yes," Wing stuttered timidly, her head bowed and eyes downcast. "Flash, Dart and I are very grateful."

"Then if our fighters are not fed we cannot fight to protect you all. Do you want to be cast out again, alone and hungry?" Ash questioned fiercely, pacing in front of the tortoiseshell she-cat.

"N-no. Please, no."

"Then do not take prey from the prey heap without permission when it is not your turn!" Ash snapped, twisting sharply and lashing out with his sharp claws.

Maplebreeze jerked back, breathing quickly as she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to blot out the terrible image of the rogue, Wing, lying stunned on her side, blood pooling beside her wounded face as a pair of tiny dark colored kits cowered by her side. The golden brown tabby she-cat turned and hurried away; she had seen enough.

. . .

Maplebreeze hunched down, her muscles tense as she crouched, ready to spring. The golden tabby she-cat's eyes were focused straight ahead at the tangled woods that enclosed her, listening to the soft breathing of her fellow warriors around her, close, but invisible as they too were surrounded by thick undergrowth. Maplebreeze flicked her tail distractedly as she impatiently waited for the signal to attack.

After Maplebreeze had spied on the Dark Fangs' camp, she had hurried back to the Clans' base to give her report to the leaders and deputies. Soon after, the leaders had organized the Clan cats into patrols with cats from every Clan, each with a designated target. They then quickly moved out, each patrol traveling to a particular position and now, Maplebreeze and her patrol were now waiting impatiently for the signal.

Finally, after what seemed like moons, course cry like a crow's echoed through the forest. As soon as the sound reached the golden brown tabby she-cat's ears, she sprang into action, darting through the woods as fast as her legs could carry her. The thumps of cats' paws came from around her as the patrol whipped through the trees, exploding into a small glade, and tearing up the steep hillside that held the rogues' camp.

Maplebreeze's patrol was joined by others as they streamed through the tight, rocky entrance. The Dark Fangs cats froze in shock as the warriors, apprentices, leaders, and deputies raced into the camp, springing at the motionless rogues.

It took the Dark Fangs cats a moment to react, but the as soon as they recovered, some leaped into battle, springing to meet the charging Clan cats, while others fled fearfully into the depths of the various dark caves. The Clan cats fell on the rogues, biting and slashing with all of their might. They fought fiercely, fueled on by their rage and hunger for revenge from moons of being oppressed by the Dark Fangs cats.

The MountainClan deputy dashed through the wild fray, keeping the four other warriors assigned to her patrol in her sight as she searched intently for their target at the same time. Maplebreeze's patrol consisted of Whiteblaze, Larkflight, Thistlepelt, gray WindClan tom, and Splashpelt, one of RiverClan she-cats that had gone on the patrol to find MountainClan. They dashed through the fight, slashing at the rogues battling their Clanmates as they sprinted by, but didn't engage as they had a dangerous rogue to capture.

With a sweep of her tail, Maplebreeze swiftly led her patrol to the edge of the battle. The cats of the Clans were fighting as ferociously as ever, driving the slowly tiring rogues back towards the far camp wall and Strike's, Ash's, and the lieutenants' dens.

"There," Maplebreeze murmured, just loud enough for the four warriors around her to hear as she gestured with her tail to where they would search next. "Let's go." The five warriors plunged back into the wild battle, fighting their way toward the back of the camp.

A familiar sandy yellow tom leaped out of the chaotic battle; his furious green eyes narrowed in hate as he lashed out with one paw. Red, hot pain flooded through her ear as he made contact. Maplebreeze reacted instantly, rearing up on her hind legs as she returned two blows, catching him on the shoulder and just over his left eye.

The rogue swung as blood welled around the cut and dripped down onto his eye, blinding him for a moment. Maplebreeze dodged nimbly, dancing just out of his reach as she moved to claw at his other side. The sandy yellow tom spun around, shaking the blood from his eye and brought his paw down painfully hard on her muzzle. The MountainClan deputy retaliated by swiftly slipping under the larger tom's belly and twisted onto her back, raking her claws along his stomach. The sandy fur above her grimaced, and a shrill yelp of pain came from the Dark Fangs cat. Before the tom could move a muscle, Maplebreeze whirled back onto her paws, slipped out from under his belly and raced after her patrol.

A sharp pain in her tail stopped the golden brown tabby she-cat in her tracks. Maplebreeze whipped around to see that the sandy yellow tom was holding her long, fluffy tail on the ground, caught underneath his curved claws. Maplebreeze yanked to wrench her tail free as she leaped and crashed into the rogue. They fought savagely, exchanging lightning-fast blows in a whirl of claws and fur.

Suddenly, the sandy yellow tom lunged at Maplebreeze, tearing ferociously at her left shoulder. The golden brown tabby she-cat leaped back, cuffing the rogue over his ear as she spun and kicked powerfully out with her hind legs. There was a satisfying grunt from the sandy yellow tom as she made contact, followed by a thump and a groan. Maplebreeze didn't bother to glance behind her as she dashed back into the chaos.

Maplebreeze dodged cats locked in battle and fended off attacks from various other Dark Fangs cats as she wove her way through the brawl. A young dark red tabby she-cat leaped out of the fray, her paws outstretched, ready to attack Maplebreeze. The golden brown tabby she-cat dodged, using all of her strength to shove the young she-cat by her. The rogue landed with a grunt, smacking into a long-haired dark gray tabby she-cat who was ensnared in battle with a muscular dark brown and white tom.

Maplebreeze ran back into the fray, scanning anxiously around her for her patrol. Finally, she spotted them fighting a hoard of Dark Fangs cats near the entrance of the den where their assigned target slept. Maplebreeze beckoned to them hurriedly as she sprinted into the dark cave. Abandoning their opponents, Whiteblaze, Splashpelt, Thistlepelt, and Larkflight raced after her.

The cave was dim and cold, and the patrols' footsteps echoed loudly against the stone floor. The den was larger than it looked; the stone walls sloped ominously into the darkness, vanishing out of Maplebreeze's vision. The golden brown tabby she-cat peered into the gloom, searching the long cave for any sign of their target as she sniffed the air for scents.

A familiar scent suddenly reached Maplebreeze's nose, and the golden brown tabby she-cat swung her head around, her ears flattened and teeth bared. The patrol froze, and a scuffle came from the blinding light at the entrance to the den, followed by heavy pawsteps.

"Ash," Whiteblaze growled from beside Maplebreeze, hate practically dripping from his voice as glared at the Dark Fangs second-in-command. Ash strode slowly and deliberately into the dark den, flanked by three powerful Dark Fangs warriors, trapping them inside the cave.

"Well, if it isn't the pathetic Clan cats crawling back here to attack our camp. It's brave, but stupid if you think you can take us." Ash sneered, stalking closer to the patrol of Clan cats.

"The only cat here that's stupid is you. And not to mention arrogant, greedy, and selfish." Whiteblaze snarled in return. The white and gray tom's fur bristled, and he pawed the ground, ready for a fight.

Ash growled, his shredded ears flattened. "Attack!" He ordered, springing forward.

The Clan cats were ready and leaped into battle. Maplebreeze and Whiteblaze went for the Dark Fangs second-in-command as Larkflight, Splashpelt, and Thistlepelt jumped to meet the other rogues. The golden brown tabby she-cat aimed a blow at Ash's ear as Whiteblaze went for his long gray tail, biting down hard.

However, the Dark Fangs cat was no novice warrior. Ash twisted and clawed Whiteblaze over one ear as he yanked his dark gray tail free. Maplebreeze ducked as Ash swung for her muzzle and slipped to one side, raking her claws down his left flank. Whiteblaze clawed Ash's other side and Ash whirled back to face the ThunderClan warrior, scratching him ferociously over one shoulder. In union, the warriors fought the Dark Fangs second-in-command, working together to drive him toward the back of the cave. Ash narrowly avoided a blow from Maplebreeze and then returned a swipe, leaving his right flank open. Whiteblaze was just about to spring forward to push Ash down with his front paws as a cry split the air.

"Stop! Stop this right now! Clan scum, slowly back away from my cats or she dies!" At the harsh command, the Clan cats and rogues alike froze. Maplebreeze backed away from Ash, pushing past the startled cats and racing out into the clearing. The golden brown tabby she-cat stopped in her tracks, staring in shock at the large brown and black tabby tom standing in the center of the clearing, his massive front paw with his claws unsheathed pinning a small tortoiseshell and white she-cat down, his long claws pressed to her throat.

 **Hi, everyone! I'm finally done with the next chapter! I hope you like it! This one has a lot more action in it and it took me forever to write it how I wanted it to sound.**

 **Sagestar - thanks, anyway, but I don't need new characters.**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	27. Chapter 26: Captured

**Chapter 26 - Captured**

"Oh, StarClan," Maplebreeze drew in a shaky breath, her blood freezing as she recognized the small tortoiseshell she-cat pinned under the black and brown tom's sharp claws. It was her daughter, Sorrelpaw. "No, no, no!" Maplebreeze shook her head, her limbs trembling as the large brown and black tabby tom turned his head toward her and she got a glimpse of an ugly scar that intercepted his left eye. There was no doubt that this was Strike, leader of the Dark Fangs and responsible for the devastating attacks on the Clans. This situation was worse than she thought. Her daughter was being held hostage by the vicious head of the Dark Fangs.

"That's better," Strike growled, his claws still pressed to Sorrelpaw's throat as he scanned the clearing. The Clan cats had backed away from their opponents, and now most of them stood a couple of pawsteps away, their pelts bristling and eyes glaring at the leering rogues they had been fighting a moment before.

With a subtle flick of his tail, Strike directed several muscular cats who plunged into the crowd, disappearing from Maplebreeze's view. The whole camp waited in tense silence as the sturdy rogues reappeared and Maplebreeze gasped as she saw they were hauling the forms of the four leaders out of the crowd and threw them before Strike.

The golden brown tabby she-cat slipped through the crowd, weaving her way through the throng of cats that had made a full ring around Strike and the heads of the four remaining Clans. Maplebreeze pushed her way to the front of the crowd but was blocked from going a paw-step more by a solid line of burly Dark Fangs Lieutenants who were preventing the Clan cats from sprinting to their leaders' sides.

"So," Strike rumbled, pacing up and down in front of the leaders, his tail lashing. He had passed Sorrelpaw off to another pair of Lieutenants who were now pinning her to the ground, one of them holding her hind legs down and the other pinned her front paws with his claws against her throat. "You Clan scum think you can come into my camp and attack my cats!"

"Don't pretend like you haven't been attacking our Clans and killing our cats for moons!" Specklestar retorted, her fur standing on end as she glared furiously at the Dark Fangs leader. It was evident she would have liked nothing more than to rip his throat out. "We have every right to defend ourselves and drive you and your vile rogues, away from our territory and our clanmates!"

"But your attack failed, didn't it?" Strike scoffed mockingly. "So I think we'll stay put for a while more."

The leaders of the four remaining Clans didn't reply, but stood shoulder-to-shoulder, glaring menacingly at their Dark Fangs counterpart. Specklestar was leaning slightly on Snowstar's shoulder, her front left leg and chest fur mangled from several scratches. The MountainClan leader's ear was shredded, and blood was pooling on the ground directly under it. Reedstar and Ashstar had fared a little better. The gray WindClan leader was missing a clump of fur on her tail, and a couple of scratches ran down her flanks. Reedstar had a bloody muzzle from a shallow wound, a nicked ear, and an injured shoulder.

"So, you've failed the attack you spent days planning. And now I have the leaders of the four Clans captured in my camp, totally helpless and at my mercy. Oh, isn't this terribly amusing?" Strike chuckled wickedly. The entire camp watched in uneasy silence, holding their breath as the rogue leader fell silent, still pacing up and down in front of the four Clan leaders. The large black and brown tabby tom kept his head turned toward the leaders, his one good eye fixed on them, while he held the long scar across his other eye in perfect view, in an apparent attempt to intimidate them.

The leaders eyed the Dark Fangs leader warily as he stalked back and forth in front of them, while the warriors and apprentices watched helplessly, unable to make a move lest the Lieutenants harm the young MountainClan apprentice they were holding hostage. The majority of Dark Fangs cats still crouched where they had ceased fighting a few moments before, all of their attention focused on their leader.

Maplebreeze anxiously watched the scene in front of her, her gaze flitting between her restrained daughter, the leaders, and Strike, growing more nervous by the minute. Sorrelpaw looked okay for the most part; the small tortoiseshell she-cat had enough sense to stay still but was trembling visibly. _Oh, StarClan. We have to rescue her soon. My poor kit. If a rogue lays a claw on her, I'll shred them._ Maplebreeze thought, feeling frustratingly helpless as she stood, blocked from her captured kit by a wall of fierce rogues.

The MountainClan deputy reluctantly returned her attention back to the leaders to find Snowstar looking concernedly out of the corners of her eyes at her, her searching yellow gaze asking, 'Are you alright?' Maplebreeze met her leader's gaze and nodded firmly before glancing questioningly first at Sorrelpaw then at the other Clan cats. Snowstar shook her head slightly and turned her gaze back to Strike.

"So, we've established that you won...this round. Good job." Reedstar spat, venom dripping from his voice. "I don't know why we're waiting to attack. We outnumber you. We won't lose, and we will drive you cruel rogues away once and for all!"

"You sure you want to do that?" Strike asked, gesturing with his tail to his Lieutenants who were still pinning Sorrelpaw down.

"You won't hurt her. You are all chat and no claws." Ashstar growled, attempting to goad the head of the Dark Fangs. "And we'll get you before you can do anything."

Unfortunately, Strike didn't take the bait. "We'll see." He meowed coolly, his eyes narrowed. With a flick of his tail, Strike silently called more of his burly rogues to his side and directed them to create a solid circle around Sorrelpaw, shrouding her from Maplebreeze's view. The Clan leaders copied Strike, beckoning their warriors as far forward as the ring of rogues would allow.

The tension in the camp escalated until a claw could have practically slice it. Both sides glared at each other, each waiting for the other to attack first.

Finally, Maplebreeze could stand in no longer. She bounded forward, shoving through a surprised pair of Lieutenants and dashing between the lines of battle-hungry cats. "Stop!" Maplebreeze cried furiously, glaring at the angry Clan cats. "Don't attack! That's my kit they're holding hostage!"

Both the Clan cats and rogue alike froze and swung around to stare at the golden brown tabby she-cat as she sprinted to stand between the leaders of the Clans and the head of the Dark Fangs. Ashstar, Specklestar, and Reedstar stared at her in surprise, but Snowstar slowly nodded like she had known Maplebreeze was going to do this all along, her yellow eyes understanding. Strike stared at Maplebreeze through slitted eyes as he took a seat, wrapping his tail around his paws as he smugly sat down to watch it all play out.

Heads swung around again as Brackenstep burst of the crowd and skidded to a stop near Maplebreeze. "Don't you dare hurt our kit!" He snarled at the rogues who were concealing their captured daughter.

"If you don't want your precious kit hurt then call them off!" Ash, who had appeared by Strike's left side, shot back.

"Please back off, or they'll hurt Sorrelpaw!" Maplebreeze begged, looking pleadingly from Specklestar to Ashstar to Reedstar. "I know you all want revenge, but if we don't listen to those cats you know what they'll do to her!" Maplebreeze could scarcely believe her eyes as she watched the leaders' faces harden, showing no signs of backing off. Ashstar even drew her warriors closer with a sweep of long her gray tail.

Snowstar stepped forward, placing her tail comfortingly over her deputy's shoulders as she intervened. "Back. Off." She ordered through clenched teeth. "That is a young MountainClan apprentice they are holding hostage. I will not let you allow them to hurt one of my cats when it is not necessary."

Maplebreeze trembled, fear for her kit's life coursing through her as the leaders stood stock-still in competitive positions, still not complying. Finally, Specklestar sighed and backed away, directing the ThunderClan warriors to do the same. Reedstar followed suit, slightly dipping his head in defeat to Strike, Ash, and the other rogues.

Only Ashstar remained in place, unwilling to move, but said through bared teeth, "Fine. We lost. Now give them back their apprentice and let us leave!"

"No."

"What?!" Maplebreeze gasped.

"We will be holding your precious apprentice as insurance while you contemplate our demand." Strike informed them coolly. The large black and brown tom still sat on the rocky ground of the camp, his fur smooth and tail wrapped around his paws. He still appeared calm, despite the important statement he had just delivered.

"What demand?" Ashstar growled, a nervous edge to her voice.

"I was just getting to that," Strike responded, getting to his paws and staring straight at the four leaders as he addressed them. "You have a quarter moon to decide to leave your territories and disband your Clans or be driven out by a raid of my warriors. If you leave your land peacefully and disband your Clans, you have my word no harm will come to your cats. If you decide to stay, you will be driven out by lethal force. My warriors are merciless. We will make you leave with no hesitation to kill anyone who fights back."

A tense silence hung over the clearing, ensuing after Strike had finished his grave statement. Maplebreeze glanced from Strike's smug face to the four remaining leaders. None of the leaders looked very shocked; as Ash had delivered a similar ultimatum a little over a moon before. Nevertheless, Reedstar's, Ashstar's, and Specklestar's faces were grim, as they didn't doubt that Strike would follow through with his threat of raiding their camps to drive them out. Snowstar looked less worried as it wasn't her Clan at stake, but she still looked concerned for the other Clans.

"Fine." Specklestar stepped forward, her white ears pinned back. "Then let us pass safely."

"One more thing." Strike meowed, turning his face, so his one good eye was fixed on the ThunderClan leader. "Then you may leave." With a flick of his tail, the Dark Fangs leader again directed several burly cats who disappeared into the throng and emerged again escorting three young cats.

"What are you doing?" Reedstar asked in disbelief, glancing from the three young cats to the leader of the Dark Fangs.

"To make sure you all remember that we don't make empty threats, we're going to hang on to your apprentices until you give us your decision. Now leave while you can." Strike replied, a warning edge to his voice.

Specklestar let out a low growl, her muscles tense and head level; her blue eyes fixed on the head of the Dark Fangs. Snowstar moved to the ThunderClan leader's side, warningly flicking her tail over the other she-cat's ear. "We don't have a choice. You know they'll hurt the apprentices if we try to rescue them now." She warned softly.

"I know." The silver dappled leader nodded and with a sigh turned and backed off, gathering her warriors with a swoop of her tail as she led the way through the mass of rogues to the entrance. The other leaders shot glares full of rage at the head of the Dark Fangs, but followed suit, collecting their cats and leading the way through the rocky entrance.

Maplebreeze was about to follow her clanmates who had taken the rear, but before she turned and stalked slowly toward him until she was nose-to-nose with Strike. Beside him, Ash growled, and the other Lieutenants near to them drew even closer. "If you hurt one hair on my daughter or those other apprentices, you will be sorry." She threatened solemnly, glaring into Strike's one green eye.

"She won't be harmed so long as you make the right decision, trust me." Strike replied coldly.

"I don't trust you," Maplebreeze growled as she spun on her heel and hurried to catch up with the other Clan cats. The golden brown tabby she-cat glanced longingly behind her at the throng of muscular cats holding the four apprentices. _Oh Sorrelpaw, I am so so sorry we have to leave you. I will be back for you as soon as possible. Be strong my little one._ Then she padded into the narrow entrance, and the camp disappeared from her sight. Only the hot feeling that Strike's unwavering one-eyed stare which had followed out the entry lingered in her senses.

The mass of cats emerged from the ravine and hurried silently into the forest, traveling at a quick pace as they headed for Clan territory. It was still a beautiful day; the sky was blue and dotted with white clouds, and the descending sun sent bright rays that slanted through thick green foliage.

As the hill that housed the Dark Fangs' camp vanished into the distance, Maplebreeze felt a small piece of herself break and through it came to an avalanche of emotion. She had left her precious kit behind, at the mercy of the rogues. They hadn't won. Instead, they had lost so much more.

The soft sound of pawsteps on the soft forest floor came closer, falling into step with her. Maplebreeze didn't need to look to know that Brackenstep had moved to pad beside her. There was a soft touch his fur as he pressed comfortingly against her. The mates leaned against each other, supporting each other as they trekked the long distance back to Clan territory.

 **Hi everyone, here is chapter 26! I can't believe I've gotten this far in my story! I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	28. Chapter 27 - Lost Hope

**Chapter 27 - Lost Hope**

The last golden rays of the dying sun illuminated the sky, turning the fluffy white clouds a stunning pink as the sun slipped below the horizon. In the opposite direction, a few glimmering stars in the Silverpelt were just visible in the dark blue sky. An evening breeze rustled the tips of the dark, towering trees, making them bend and wave in tune to the high-pitched chirps of crickets in the grass around them.

The sky had fully darkened by the time the troop of cats reached the edge of Clan territory. The leaders signaled for the large group to halt in a small glade near the ThunderClan border, just beyond the scent markers. Specklestar, Snowstar, Reedstar, and Ashstar, joined by their deputies, took a seat in a circle as they had earlier to talk about what had just come to pass.

"We are doomed," Reedstar muttered darkly once they had all sat down. "Our attack failed, and now they are holding our apprentices hostage. We have a quarter moon to decide whether to disband and leave the territory that has been our home for generations or fight against the entire Dark Fangs. All hope is lost."

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not leaving. WindClan will fight to the for our home." Ashstar meowed, her blue eyes flashing determinedly in a beam of moonlight that streamed down from the waning moon and landed on the wiry gray leader, turning her dark gray fur to silver.

"MountainClan may not live here, but my warriors and I will do our best to fight hard to keep your homes," Snowstar added reassuringly. "When your warriors traveled to find us, we came because we promised we would help fight the Dark Fangs. We will follow through."

"Yes, we will." Maplebreeze meowed, her claws unsheathed and sunk into the soft earth of the clearing. "We'd better fight hard to rescue our apprentices. That's my daughter they're holding hostage."

Ashstar nodded in agreement, her tail lashing, but the leaders of ThunderClan and RiverClan didn't look like they were. Specklestar sat awkwardly on the ground to the left of the WindClan leader, favoring her injured front leg that has stopped bleeding, but several scratched laced the silver dappled fur. Next, to his deputy on the opposite side of the circle, Reedstar flattened his ears.

"I don't know about this." Reedstar sighed. "My Clan has suffered many losses. We have queens, elders, and kits - including my sons - to think of. Maybe it would be better to follow Oakstar and ShadowClan's lead and leave while we still can."

"I agree, Reedstar," Shimmerstorm, the elderly RiverClan deputy meowed. The longhaired black and white she-cat had sustained several wounds along her back and was missing a clump of fur on her chest. "We have already lost so much. It would be safer to leave."

"You want to leave?" Ashstar gasped. The dark gray leader rose abruptly to her paws and stalked over to where the RiverClan cats were seated, glaring in a fury at the sleek black leader. "Oakstar was a coward who took his Clan away and left the rest of us here vulnerable. I expected more from you, Reedstar. What about the remainder of the Clans? What about your young apprentice?"

"I'm not saying that we're leaving, Ashstar!" Reedstar snarled, jumping defensively to his paws. "I'm saying that we have to think of the safety of our cats, first and foremost. We cannot run blindly into battle without regard for the lives of our clanmates. We have to face the facts. We lost the battle that was supposed to be the turning point of the war, at the expense of many injured cats! And now they are holding our apprentices hostage, and we have a quarter moon to decide to leave and disband or be killed!"

"It sure sounded like you are planning on moving," Ashstar growled, spinning around to stride slowly back to her place in the circle. "I _know_ we lost the battle, but we have to hope that we have the strength to fight back. We can't just surrender and leave the territory that has been our ancestors' home for generations!"

"And what you seem to fail to grasp through your thick head is that it is safer to leave; to protect the lives of our clanmates. Is this all really worth the lives of our innocent cats?" Reedstar asked exasperatedly.

"Yes," Ashstar said assuredly, turning back to stare sternly at the RiverClan tom. "It is. If we surrender and leave, the rogues will win. What are the lives of a few cats in the greater scheme of things? If we don't fight, the Dark Fangs will win. We will be allowing those cruel cats to continue on their vicious rampage. We will have let dark triumph over light. If we back down and let them win, we will no longer be worthy of calling ourselves Clans. We will have broken the first rule of the warrior code; defend your Clan even with your life."

A heavy silence filled the clearing after the WindClan leader's powerful speech. It seemed as if the birds in the trees and the rodents in the undergrowth had heard as well as every other cat in the clearing, as a stillness had fallen over the woods.

"Yes, but there may be no more Clans if we stay and fight! We were a barely a match for them even with ShadowClan. We don't stand a chance now!" Shimmerstorm protested, breaking the silence.

"And are you willing to sacrifice the innocent lives of the apprentices they're holding hostage?" Maplebreeze shot back, her anxiousness fueling her rage as she sprang to her paws.

"And are you willing to sacrifice much more lives of cats that will die fighting back against the rogues?" Reedstar replied evenly.

"You're a coward, Reedstar, just like Oakstar." Ashstar snarled. "If you leave, you are sacrificing the life of your young apprentice and the rest of ours'. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to let them hurt Thornpaw. He is a member of my Clan and deserves to be rescued. I'm shocked that you don't feel the same about Mintpaw."

"Her life isn't worth the lives of the rest of my clanmates." Reedstar snapped.

The dark gray WindClan leader gaped at the sleek RiverClan leader across the circle from her. "How could you say that? She is a RiverClan apprentice with her whole life in front of her. You cowardly fish-brained hair-"

"Enough!" Every cat in the clearing froze, and Maplebreeze whipped around to see Snowstar standing at the edge of the circle, her gray and white patched fur bristling and her tail raised straight in the air. "That's enough! You all are arguing like kits about what to do. The Dark Fangs have our apprentices, and we have a quarter moon to decide whether to leave or stay. We must stand together, not fall apart because of petty quarrels!"

The clearing fell into silence again as every cat turned their attention to the MountainClan leader. The only sounds were the soft murmuring from the mass of Clan cats that were waiting in the shadowy outskirts of the glade. The warriors and apprentices of the four remaining Clans were seated in little groups at a respectful distance from the circle of leaders and deputies, watching them intently as many of them tended to their wounds, both physical and emotional.

"I agree, Snowstar," Specklestar rose to her paws and padded over to stand near the MountainClan leader. "Like Reedstar, I am questioning if staying and fighting is the right thing to do. My Clan has suffered just as many losses as the rest of you, and I am tired of watching my clanmates struggle injured back to camp battle after battle. After this fight, I, too feel like all hope is lost. However, we must not fall apart because of little squabbles. Now is the time to stand together. To stand firm."

"I agree. We must refrain from fighting amongst ourselves." Reedstar meowed, shooting a stern glance at Ashstar who scowled.

"But what can we do?" Shimmerstorm asked, her tail flicking back and forth as she looked searchingly across the circle of Clan cats.

The other cats avoided her gaze, no one knowing quite what to say. The question seemed to hang in the warm night air.

"Whatever we do, we have to find some way to rescue the apprentices. Sorrelpaw, my daughter, is among them. I will not allow anything to happen to her." Maplebreeze reiterated. "We _have_ to save them."

"Agreed," Ashstar said in a grave voice.

"I know we should try to rescue them, but either way we will be without with a home. At least of we decide to leave, our clanmates won't be killed. And maybe our apprentices will be returned." Reedstar meowed.

"You trust that mange-pelt leader Strike? There is no way he will return our apprentices! We have to stay and fight!" Ashstar retorted.

Maplebreeze felt torn as she watched the two leaders quarrel once again. On one paw, they could leave and spare the lives of the Clan cats, but they would lose their home, and they would have followed out Strike's total demand; to disband as well, if they wanted the apprentices back. Also, she didn't trust that prey-stealing rogue as far as she could throw him. There was no way he would keep his word.

On the other paw, they could stay and fight, but the loss of lives was inevitable. Also, there was no way to know if they would even win. They could lose their homes. But there was also a possibility of rescuing Sorrelpaw and the other apprentices themselves.

"Stop!" Maplebreeze cried suddenly, the frustration inside of her finally boiling over. Ashstar and Reedstar stopped and turned their confused gazes on her. "Stop with this petty arguing! We can't just sit here and fight amongst ourselves. We have to do something! That's my kit they are holding hostage! My daughter…" Maplebreeze trailed off. The statement had finally released all of her frustration and rages, leaving only raw grief and desperation left. The golden brown tabby she-cat sunk wearily to the ground, succumbing to her fierce emotions.

A soft tongue on her cheek roused Maplebreeze. The golden brown tabby she-cat looked up to see Brackenstep crouching next to her, comfortingly stroking her with his rough tongue. Snowstar stood over her, a concerned expression mixed with seriousness on her white face.

Embarrassment flooded through Maplebreeze as she got to her paws and found the complete clearing staring at her.

"Maplebreeze, it's okay," Snowstar murmured, moving to block the bewildered leaders and deputies from Maplebreeze's view. "I understand what you must be going through. But I need you to be strong. We need every cat thinking clearly. Do you understand me?"

The golden brown tabby she-cat nodded, feeling very much like a kit again, being admonished by her mother, Palewhisker. "Yes, I understand." She murmured, her amber eyes downcast. Brackenstep pressed against her as Snowstar turned back to the Clan cats who were staring at them quizzically.

"Alright," Snowstar meowed loudly. "We need to stop quarreling and to start seriously discussing what to do about the Dark Fangs' demand. We have to do something. I agree with Ashstar. The warrior code states that we must defend our clans even with our lives. This land has been your Clan's home for generations. We can't just surrender and let the rogues win. We have to stand our ground and fight."

"I know you all feel strongly about this," Reedstar said carefully. "But I believe that it is best for my Clan to leave. I don't want to lose any more cats in a fruitless war."

"Well, maybe it won't be fruitless if we actually come up with a smart plan to strike back," Ashstar muttered. Reedstar shot her a quick glare but didn't respond.

"What if we found another way? One where we didn't have to confront the rogues in open battle?" Graystorm, the WindClan deputy, who had been sitting quietly in the back of the crowd suggested thoughtfully.

"What are you getting at, Graystorm?" Ashstar asked, glancing at her longhaired gray deputy.

"I think it would be a good idea to try another way," Graystorm said again. "If we could rescue the apprentices, the Dark Fangs wouldn't have them to hold as leverage over us anymore. We could stay in our territory and avoid a bloody battle with many casualties. We would just have to come up with an incredibly smart plan, one that the Dark Fangs wouldn't expect."

"Good idea, Graystorm!" Specklestar exclaimed.

"Yes, but you seem to have forgotten that the rogues have numbers much greater than ours. We were barely a match for them when ShadowClan was here. Now, we stand no chance." Reedstar meowed dubiously.

"True." Specklestar flicked an ear thoughtfully.

"The rogues didn't drive us out after we chose to stay when they gave us their first demand. Why would they follow through on this one?" Snowstar wondered aloud.

"What you seemed to have forgotten, Snowstar is that last time after we refused to leave, the Dark Fangs cats attacked our hunting patrols and stole our prey so much that we were weakened from starvation!" Shimmerstorm argued.

"Yeah, but the rogues are spineless, devious fox-hearts. If we rescue the apprentices, they could lose their nerve because they no longer have them to hold as leverage over us." Graystorm pointed out.

"Or they won't, and we will all be killed," Reedstar muttered, shaking his sleek black head.

"We have to try at least!" Maplebreeze begged, her distressed amber eyes flitting from one cat to the next.

"Yes, we have to try." Snowstar meowed. "MountainClan will fight to save the apprentices and then if the rogues attack, we will fight to keep your homes. Who will fight alongside us?"

"WindClan shall," Ashstar replied immediately, not a glimmer of doubt in her clear blue eyes. Graystorm nodded his consent as well.

The was a short pause as the leaders and deputies of MountainClan and WindClan turned their questioning gazes on the heads of the other Clans. Specklestar looked thoughtfully off into the distance, and Reedstar avoided their piercing gazes.

Specklestar flicked her tail and twitched her whiskers prudently. "I have decided ThunderClan will as well." She said finally.

"Good," Snowstar meowed happily.

The leaders and deputies of MountainClan, WindClan, and ThunderClan now turned their attention on Reedstar and Shimmerstorm, gazing at the intentionally. Reedstar was still avoiding their gazes; his eyes fixed on the soft grass at his paws. Shimmerstorm glanced swiftly at them and then turned and whispered something into Reedstar's ear.

Slowly, Reedstar raised his amber eyes to return his counterparts' searching gazes. "Fine. RiverClan will participate in the rescue mission."

"Oh, thank you, Reedstar," Maplebreeze replied immediately and let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Good. It's late, and we all have wounds to tend to, so I think we should all head back to our camps." Specklestar decided. "Why don't we meet in two days time at sunhigh on the Island to discuss the rescue plan? We all need time to heal, but we still need time to save our apprentices before the rogues' deadline."

"Sounds good," Ashstar said gruffly, getting to her paws and turning to head toward her impatiently waiting clanmates. Reedstar followed, hurriedly gathering his cats with a sweep of his tail and hurried away into the pitch-black forest.

The MountainClan and ThunderClan cats remained in the clearing for a moment, listening to the chirping of the crickets and the low hoots of an owl that rang eerily through the dark woods. The stars in the Silverpelt glimmered frostily down at them from the dark blue heavens.

Specklestar sighed and got slowly to her paws. "Let's head back to camp. It's been a long day. We had such high hopes for this battle, and they are all lost. Our only hope now is that we can bring our apprentices home safe."

"Agreed." Snowstar meowed. The pair padded side by side to the edge of the clearing and led their clanmates into the dark forest, heading for the ThunderClan camp at last.

 **I can't believe this story is almost done! I have been working on it for almost a year! There will be a few more chapter (two or three) that should be coming soon! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	29. Chapter 28: Aftermath

**Chapter 28 - Aftermath**

It was very late by the time the large patrol made their way toward the ThunderClan camp. Pale milky white beams from the waning moon shone through layers of blooming leaves and in landed small pools on the forest floor. The moonbeams outlined the sharp thorns in the tangled branches of the brambles bushes that bordered the entry to the ThunderClan camp.

Snowstar and Specklestar halted in front of the barrier as two dark figures leaped to their feet and bounded out of the shadows. Cherrycloud and Nettlewhisker emerged into a pool of moonlight, their eyes alert and ears shoved forward. Nettlewhisker's amber eyes widened as he took a good look at the bedraggled group, but he didn't say anything. Cherrycloud and Nettlewhisker dipped their heads to the leaders and led the way quickly through the entrance. The shadows from the branches of the brambles waved as the mass of cats pushed through.

The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats emerged into the moonlit clearing and dispersed into small groups, heading to various places in the large hollow. At the sound and scent of the returning cats, the cats who had remained behind raced out of their dens where they had been waiting anxiously for the battle patrol to come back.

"What's going on? What happened?" A dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes asked, peering anxiously at the injured battle patrol, her two kits, a black tom with gray feet and a gray and white tom blinking tiredly from where they stood next to her in front of the nursery.

"Is everyone alright?" Spiderleap questioned, his yellow eyes wide awake as he bounded toward the crowd.

"Yes, for the most part," Specklestar replied, her voice catching her deputy's attention and drawing the black and white warrior toward her.

"What happened?" Spiderleap asked softly, looking alarmed.

"We'll talk about that later," Specklestar said briskly as Spiderleap bounded over to where the leaders and Maplebreeze had paused in the center of the camp. "For now many injured cats need to be tended to and then we all should get a good night of sleep. First thing tomorrow, we need to asses the severity of the injuries and send out hunting and border patrols with the less wounded cats. We cannot let our territory go unprotected and our clanmates will be needing food. Then we will meet to discuss what has happened. Can you see to all that, Spiderleap?"

"Of course, Specklestar." Spiderleap meowed solemnly, dipping his large head.

As the battle-scarred tom turned to go, Pebblefur shouldered his way through the crowd and stopped before the leaders and deputies, Birdpaw scampering to catch up. "Is everyone alright? Are there any serious injuries?" He immediately bluntly, quickly getting down to business.

"Yes, as far as I can see everyone is okay for the most part, but no one has escaped unscathed, and there are several cats with severe wounds," Snowstar reported.

"Thanks," Pebblefur said breathlessly, looking flustered as he turned to plunge back into the crowd. "Come on, Birdpaw! We need to find all of the cats with serious injuries so we can treat them as soon as possible!" The gray dappled tom called out impatiently as he vanished into the night. Dipping her head hurriedly to the leaders, Birdpaw dashed after the retreating form of the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"Goodnight, Snowstar, Specklestar," Maplebreeze said wearily, dipping her head to the pair of leaders before turning to go.

"Goodnight, Maplebreeze," Snowstar replied gently, her voice sympathetic. "Don't forget to get your injuries checked!"

"I won't." The golden brown tabby she-cat promised. Out of the corner of her eye, Maplebreeze saw Specklestar open her mouth to say something, but Snowstar shot the silver dappled she-cat a firm glanced, and Specklestar closed her mouth again. Ignoring their interaction, the MountainClan deputy turned and trotted to stand at the edge of the quickly growing crowd of cats waiting for their wounds to be treated.

Pebblefur and Birdpaw wove through the ragged band of cats, organizing them into groups with similar injuries so they could heal them as quickly as possible. Maplebreeze was sent to a small group for cats with a couple of minor wounds, but at least one potentially dangerous one. The cuts on her ear, muzzle, and tail, weren't severe but Pebblefur had looked worried when he saw the scratch on her shoulder were the sandy yellow rogue had clawed her.

The moon rose steadily higher as Maplebreeze waited outside of the medicine cat's den, seated near Finchfang and Paleflower who had been sorted into her group. Finchfang had a couple of shallow claw marks down both of his flanks and a cut on his neck that had stopped bleeding but looked grave. His golden brown and red pelt was matted with blood, but by the shallow cuts, Maplebreeze could tell most of it probably wasn't his. Paleflower had escaped mostly unscathed except for a small nick in her right ear that had already stabbed over, a bite at the base of her tail, and a long cut along the top of her back leg.

The soft murmurings in the dark clearing grew quieter as the medicine cats called the groups in one by one to treat them. Finally, Birdpaw emerged from behind the bramble screen. "Maplebreeze, Paleflower, Finchfang, come on in."

It was nearly moonhigh by the time Maplebreeze staggered tiredly from the medicine cat's den, waving her tail in goodbye to the equally exhausted medicine cats. The golden brown tabby she-cat made her way across the camp to the MountainClan warriors' den. Brackenstep was already there, tightly curled up in his mossy nest next to her's.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep said, raising his head and yawning.

"Goodnight, Brackenstep," The MountainClan deputy murmured, flopping down in her nest and curling up, pressing herself against her mate. Brackenstep touched his nose to her ear before turning to lay down again.

. . .

The golden rays of the dawn light woke Maplebreeze early. The golden brown tabby she-cat rose and stretched, careful not to wake Brackenstep who was still enviously slumbering, the wounds crisscrossing his ginger and brown tabby pelt patched up with a thick tangled mass of cobwebs. Maplebreeze padded out into the clearing, letting the sun warm her muscles that ached from the difficult battle. The amount of sleep she had gotten had replenished some of her strength, but the growing desperation in the bottom of her stomach and the pocket at the back of her mind where she had stowed her overwhelming grief and helplessness remained.

The MountainClan deputy flicked her ear, feeling the cobweb that Birdpaw had wrapped around the small cut on her ear loosen. Twisting her head, she saw the cobwebs on her shoulder had come loose as well. _I'd better get these replaced if Pebblefur still has enough cobwebs left,_ she decided, heading across the brightening camp to the cave in the stone cliffside.

"Birdpaw, Pebblefur, are you awake?" Maplebreeze called softly into the cavern, cautious in case the medicine cats were sleeping.

"Yeah, come right in, Maplebreeze!" Pebblefur called, his voice sounding tired. Her observation proved to be true as when the MountainClan deputy entered the den she saw Pebblefur busily sorting a pile of withered herbs, his face haggard as he muttered to himself.

The cave seemed pretty bare to Maplebreeze as she padded into the dim cavern. She knew the medicine cats were running low on their stock of herbs, but it was even more apparent with the pitiful stacks of leaves, roots, and berries that were very unlike the usual bountiful piles of fresh herbs that lined the cracked walls of the medicine cats' den.

Maplebreeze sat down and flicked her tail in greeting to Bouldertail who was lying silently in curled position in a nest woven with moss and ferns against the cave wall near the back of the den.

"Pebblefur, we're out of goldenrod and almost out of dock and tansy." Birdpaw meowed, sighing tiredly as she moved out of the shadowy crack in the back of the den where the ThunderClan medicine cats had stored their stocks of herbs for many seasons. "Oh, hey, Maplebreeze," Birdpaw said when she noticed the golden brown tabby she-cat waiting in the entrance.

"What do you need?" Pebblefur asked, turning to face the golden brown tabby she-cat.

"Oh, I was wondering if you could fix the cobwebs over my wounds. They have come a little loose. Of course, only if you have enough." Maplebreeze meowed with an uncertain twitch of her whiskers.

"Sure," Pebblefur meowed. "That is the one thing we do have enough of. Birdpaw, will you fetch some more cobwebs from the back crevice?"

"Okay," the slim brown and white apprentice's tail swished behind her as she vanished into the shadows once more, reappearing a moment later with a wad of cobwebs stuck to a twig in her mouth.

"Thanks," The ThunderClan medicine cat replied. "Good, your wounds are already healing nicely. There doesn't appear to be any infection." He commented as he gently removed the cobwebs from around her wounds and replace them with cobwebs from the stick Birdpaw had placed in front of him. "I'll just dribble on a police of marigold just in case."

"Thanks, Pebblefur!" Maplebreeze called after her as she exited the den once the ThunderClan medicine cat had finished redressing her wounds.

"Oh, Maplebreeze?" Pebblefur inquired as he trotted out the den after her. "Could you organize some a couple of patrols to gather herbs?"

"Of course. What do you want the patrols to look for?"

"Cobwebs, marigold, and horsetail. The warriors and apprentices should know what they look like. They can be found around the lakeshore and the abandoned twoleg nest. Oh, also goldenrod and dock if they can find some." Pebblefur told her.

"Yes, of course." Maplebreeze smiled, and with a nod, she turned to go.

"Thanks!" Pebblefur called after her.

Maplebreeze loped gracefully across the camp, heading for the Highledge where Specklestar was sitting next to Snowstar, the light of early morning outlining the edges of their silver and white speckled fur and gray and white patched fur with a brilliant silver. The golden brown tabby she-cat leaped effortlessly up the fallen rocks with a couple of bounds and landed lightly on the rocky shelf.

"Good morning, Maplebreeze. Are you feeling better?" Snowstar asked kindly, turning to greet her deputy.

"Yes, thank you," Maplebreeze replied curtly, her mask of coldness caging her overwhelming emotions, but her amber eyes betrayed her.

"Good." Snowstar nodded slightly to show she understood.

"Would you like me to organize patrols of the least injured cats to check the borders and hunt for prey?" Maplebreeze asked.

"Yes. Spiderleap will help you as well." Specklestar answered.

"Specklestar and I plan to address the Clan around sunhigh when the patrols should be back," Snowstar added.

"Alright," Maplebreeze bowed her head briefly to the pair of leaders and then got to her paws, bounding quickly down the tumble of rocks. She landed on the soft earth at the base of the Highledge and padded out into the center of the clearing.

A couple of cats had already woken up and were waiting outside their respective dens. Cherrycloud and Molefoot were sharing tongues near the entryway to the ThunderClan warriors' den built under the branches of an ancient beech tree then had fallen many seasons before. Finchfang was playing with the cobwebs covering the scratches on his flanks while he sat next to Dewlight and Larkflight who were deep in conversation. Over by the MountainClan warriors' den, Nettlewhisker and Morningfrost lounged in a pool of sunlight and a couple of apprentices sparred in front of their large cave.

Maplebreeze padded to the base of the Highledge and took a seat, waiting expectantly for the healthiest warriors and apprentices to gather around her. The cats outside the various dens noticed her waiting and moved to gather in a wide ring around her. A few more cats poked their heads out of their dens and hurried to join the crowd. Spiderleap slipped through the crowd and joined her at the front of the group.

The golden brown tabby she-cat glanced fleetly at her ThunderClan counterpart and then without a word to the battle-scarred warrior she began to organize patrols, picking the least injured cats for the most strenuous activities. Spiderleap helped as well, and the pair finished quickly without incident.

The dawn patrol, consisting of Thrushfang, Gorsestep, Birchshade, and Cinderpaw, left the camp as soon as they finished. Spiderleap took a patrol to the WindClan border about halfway to sunhigh, and Maplebreeze led one of the hunting patrols soon after the dawn patrol left.

Maplebreeze's hunting patrol emerged through the thick camp entrance just before sunhigh, weighed down with plump Greenleaf prey. Morningfrost who had only sustained minor injuries in the fierce battle - a couple of scratches, a nicked ear, a small bite - had caught the most prey along with Nettlewhisker due to the fact was completely healthy because he had stayed behind to guard the camp. They each carried a mouse, while Morningfrost had placed a blackbird over her back and clutched the tail of a shrew in her mouth, and Nettlewhisker had a squirrel draped over his shoulders.

Larkflight and Lightningpaw, who had also come along on the patrol only because few cats were totally fit for duty, returned with very little prey due to their more severe injuries. Larkflight had a fat robin, and Lightningpaw carried a shrew and a mouse.

Maplebreeze dropped her squirrel in the fresh-kill pile after the others had deposited their prey and headed to a warm patch of sunlight outside the MountainClan warriors' den to rest her weary muscles.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," A soft voice said, and the MountainClan deputy looked up to see a small misty gray she-cat standing in front of her.

"Hello, Lakepaw," Maplebreeze said, raising her head and giving her daughter a small smile. Lakepaw returned her smile, though it was more sad and anxious than happy. The little apprentice turned and settled on the dusty earth beside her mother, tucking her paws underneath her and wrapping her tail around her misty gray belly.

"I can't believe she is…" Lakepaw began in a soft voice but trailed off.

"I know." Maplebreeze pressed her nose to her daughter's ear. "I can't either. But we have to be strong. We have to be strong for Sorrelpaw."

"Sorrel-" Lakepaw's voice broke at her sister's name, and the small she-cat began to tremble violently as she buried her head in her soft gray tail. Maplebreeze scooted closer and draped her plumy tail over Lakepaw's shaking shoulders and pressed herself comfortingly against her littlest kit, even though it was a struggle to keep her own emotions in check, but she had to, for Lakepaw.

They remained that way for a long time as the steadily rising sun shone down, warming their backs.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Specklestar's commanding call echoed across the camp.

"Okay, I need to join Spiderleap at the base of the Highledge. I will come see you later." Maplebreeze promised, shaking the dust from her fur as she rose. Lakepaw got to her paws as well, and Maplebreeze licked her daughter over her head before she turned to leave.

"Bye," Lakepaw called quietly after her as Maplebreeze plunged into the quickly assembling mass of cats. The golden brown tabby she-cat shouldered her way through the crowd, emerging between Swiftleap and Feathernose near the bottom of the Highledge and she joined Spiderleap who was sitting with his back almost touching the cold stone of the camp wall under the Highledge.

"Hello, Maplebreeze," Spiderleap meowed coolly.

"Hi," Maplebreeze replied, glancing swiftly at the black and white deputy.

"I'm sorry about your daughter."

"What?" Maplebreeze asked, confused at the ThunderClan deputy's statement. "Oh, thank you."

The deputies fell into silence, and Maplebreeze moved her attention back to the crowd in front of her. It appeared as if every cat in ThunderClan and every MountainClan cat that had journeyed to the four Clans were present and gathered in a tightly packed group in front of the Highledge. Even Pebblefur and Birdpaw had paused their work and were seated outside the cave.

"All of you, no matter whether you stayed or went to fight should have heard by now about the result of our attack on Dark Fangs yesterday." Specklestar began grimly, stepping forward as she spoke to stand at the very edge of the ledge. "Our attack was going well at first and everything was going according to plan, but Strike forced us to stop fighting by threatening the life of the MountainClan apprentice, Sorrelpaw."

Angry murmurings from the crowd interrupted Specklestar as the cats of ThunderClan and MountainClan turned to each other and began talking angrily.

The silver dappled leader let the cats talk for a couple of moments more, but then raised her tail for silence. "The Dark Fangs have delivered us another ultimatum," Specklestar continued. "We have two choices; leave within a quarter moon and disband, or to stay and be killed. The Dark Fangs are holding an apprentice from each Clan, including Dustpaw and Sorrelpaw, as leverage to make sure we chose to leave. If we do, they will be returned, but if we decide to stay, Strike implied that they would be killed."

A roar of outrage from the center of the crowd interrupted the ThunderClan leader, and the Clan cats started talking angrily to each other once again.

"I can't believe the nerve of those rogues."

"They are using our innocent apprentices as leverage! Those low, dirty fiends!"

"We have to get them back."

"But what can we do? If we stay and fight we'll be killed, and if we don't we'll be without a home."

Maplebreeze watched the crowd in front of her, catching scraps of conversation. She remained quiet, even though inside of her, furious rage at the rogues of the Dark Fangs churned in her belly.

Beside her, Spiderleap crouched on the ground, his black and white fur bristling and yellow eyes dark, but he didn't say anything either.

"Alright!" Snowstar yowled over the noise of the crowd. The gray and white patched she-cat was sitting on the Highledge next to Specklestar. "Before returning to camp after the battle, the other leaders, Snowstar, and I discussed our next step. We have decided that we will stay, but instead, we will assume another course of action."

"Good!" There was another loud interruption, this time from a familiar voice near the center of the throng. "We will let those crow-food-eating rogues feel the sharpness of our claws!" Whiteblaze snarled, padded out from among the packed crowd.

"Yeah! If our first stand didn't work, we have to try again! It's time those pathetic prey-stealing cats get put in their place!" Gorestep added, leaping to his paws was enthusiastically.

"Are you two mouse-brains blind?" Icefern called, standing as well. "You heard Specklestar! If we fight, the apprentices will be killed! This isn't worth the lives of our innocent apprentices!"

"But who knows if they will even be returned?" Larkflight argued. "Are you crazy enough to trust that ruthless fiend Strike? We have to fight and rescue them!"

"Are you crazy, Larkflight?" Feathernose sprang to her paws and glared furiously at her fellow ThunderClan warrior. "My brother is lying, injured severely, in a nest in the medicine cat's den! We can't risk more cats getting wounded!"

"We must fight, for our home and or our Clan!" Whiteblaze insisted, his yellow eyes blazing.

"No! There has been too much bloodshed! We should leave." Icefern shook her head gravely.

"Enough!" Specklestar shouted over the clamor in the clearing, her tail lashing angrily. Once the crowd had quieted down, the silver speckled leader continued. "Arguing is going to get us nowhere. The other leaders and I have agreed that we will stay, but-"

"Good!" Whiteblaze growled.

Specklestar shot the gray and white warrior a hard look before moving on. "We will be trying another way. Snowstar, Reedstar, Ashstar, and I will be meeting in two days to make a plan to rescue the apprentices. We hope to save them quickly and take away the leverage the Dark Fangs are holding over us."

The Clan cats cheered, interrupting their Clan leader for the fourth time.

"We must be wary, though," Snowstar warned once the noise had quieted down. "We do not know if this idea will work, so we have to take the utmost caution to keep this a secret. Please, do your best not to discuss our plan in case a rogue is spying on us. This is a long shot, but we have to do our best to make sure it works. We have to rescue our apprentices."

The Clan cats cheered again, stating a little hesitantly at first, but then the cheer grew louder as more cats joined in. After a moment, Maplebreeze raised her voice as well. _This plan has to work._ She thought with conviction as she yowled her determination and grief into the bright sky. _We can't fail. We must bring our apprentices home._

 **Phew! That chapter took me forever! Well, it's finally done, so I hope you all enjoyed it! Please leave a review if you liked it!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	30. Chapter 29: Planning

**Chapter 29 - Planning**

The bright sun almost directly above them beat down harshly on Maplebreeze's back as she hurried along the lakeshore. Specklestar, flanked by Spiderleap and Paleflower led the way across the sandy earth, while Snowstar trotted beside the MountainClan deputy and Nettlewhisker along with Molefoot brought up the rear. Specklestar had asked Pebblefur to come as well, but the ThunderClan medicine cat had to remain in camp to keep an eye on Bouldertail whose injuries were still severe.

The patrol traveled quickly across the banks of the lake, passing the rolling hills of WindClan territory and then RiverClan's spacious woodland dotted with various streams. The large bulky shape of the Island loomed in the distance, dark against the bright sky.

It had been two days since the four remaining Clans' attack on the Dark Fangs had failed. The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats were now heading to the meeting between the Clans that they had arranged after talking the night after the attack. It was agreed between the Clan leaders that they would meet at sunhigh, two days after the battle, so they would have time to heal and rest.

The sun was high in the sky as the patrol reached the Island and one by one padded across the tree-bridge, jumping down onto the green earth on the other side. Maplebreeze entered the thick bushes around the border of the Island and pushed her way through them to the small glade in the center of the Island. The fresh scent of wind, sand, and gorse told the golden brown tabby she-cat that the WindClan cats had already arrived.

Maplebreeze padded into the clearing just behind Specklestar to see Ashstar sitting at the base of the great oak, deep in conversation with Graystorm, while two WindClan warriors, a sleek black and white tom and a longhaired pale gray she-cat with darker patches sat nearby.

Ashstar looked up as they approached and rose to greet them. "Good, you're here." The dark gray she-cat meowed gruffly as she trotted over. "Now we are just waiting on Reedstar and Shimmerstorm. That is if they're even coming."

"Reedstar said he and RiverClan would fight." Specklestar reminded her fellow leader coolly. "He'll be here."

"I certainly hope so," Ashstar growled in response as she turned and led the way to where the rest of her clanmates. Maplebreeze followed Snowstar and Spiderleap to the base of the great oak and took a seat next to her leader. Specklestar directed the warriors from ThunderClan and MountainClan to take up positions around the perimeter of the clearing before joining them. The heads of the Clans waited in tense silence for Reedstar and Shimmerstorm to arrive as the sun rose steadily in the sky.

Just as the sun hit its highest peak, Reedstar pushed his way through the undergrowth. Shimmerstorm and a pair of RiverClan warriors emerged behind him and Maplebreeze happily recognized Mistyshine, though she didn't know the other, a light ginger tabby tom.

"Aright," Reedstar said briskly, loping over to the other Clan cats, Shimmerstorm in tow. "We're here."

"Good." Snowstar meowed. "Then let's get down to business."

Reedstar sent Mistyshine and the light ginger tabby tom to guard the clearing in case cats of the Dark Fangs made an appearance before he and Shimmerstorm took a seat between Ashstar and Maplebreeze. "So," The sleek black tom meowed. "Any ideas on how to rescue the apprentices?"

"Well," Specklestar began. "We don't know if they will be expecting us to try and save the apprentices, so we need to be careful. We also don't know where they are being held, so I thought it would be good to have two patrols, one to be a diversion to give the other patrol time to search the camp."

"I sent two of my warriors to spy on the Dark Fangs camp. It was hard, and they almost got caught, but they successfully gather some good intel." Ashstar announced. "I didn't think it would be a good idea to go in blind."

Specklestar flicked an ear, looking mildly surprised. "Oh, good idea, Ashstar. What did they find?"

"It took a while, but finally my warriors spotted a small tortoiseshell and white she-cat being escorted out of the camp by two burly toms and then brought back to a small cave next to the lieutenants' den," Ashstar reported. "They thought she might be Sorrelpaw of MountainClan, one of the captured apprentices."

Maplebreeze's pricked her ears at the WindClan leader's words and hope fluttered in her chest. "Did they noticed any certain characteristics? Sorrelpaw has a torn right ear from the time she snuck out of camp as a kit and nearly got carrying off by a hawk."

"Come to think of it; they did mention the she-cat had a torn ear," Ashstar replied, twitching her whiskers thoughtfully.

"That's her!" Maplebreeze exclaimed and let out a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"Okay, so we now know that the apprentices are detained in the cave next to the lieutenants' den. We should keep up surveillance on the Dark Fangs camp to make sure we know if the apprentices are moved, or something happens to them. ThunderClan would be willing to send cats to watch the camp unless WindClan would like to handle it?" Specklestar asked, looking inquiringly at Ashstar.

"The help would be welcome," Ashstar meowed gruffly. "My Clan is busy enough as it is."

"Specklestar and I have talked to Twist - our young rogue informant - as well. He told us that Ash and Strike installed some emergency procedures that they would use in case the Clans ever attacked. They include a heightened amount of patrols, doubled camp guards, and even a hidden location nearby that they could leave quickly to use as a base if the site of their camp was ever compromised. The patrol on the rescue mission should be wary." Snowstar said.

"That sounds good, but how do we know if he is telling the truth?" Reedstar asked, sounding suspicious.

"He gave us the correct location of their camp and patrol schedules that enabled us to attack." Specklestar pointed out.

"Yes, but the attack failed. How do we know that the entire thing wasn't staged?" Reedstar shot back, not seeming convinced.

"Well, we can't know for sure." The ThunderClan leader admitted. "But-"

"That's what I thought." Reedstar snorted.

"But, Twist has given us only useful information so far, and he seems to changed his perspective on our war with the Dark Fangs. He sympathizes with us and he has agreed to help us. He is telling the truth." Specklestar insisted.

"I think Specklestar's idea to have two patrols in the rescue mission sounds like it will work. One patrol of Clan cats can cause a diversion, maybe attack a rogue patrol close to their camp and draw out the other Dark Fangs cats while another patrol slips into camp to get the apprentices." Snowstar proposed. "What do you all think?"

"Sounds good," Ashstar meowed, and the other cats nodded in concurrence.

"WindClan cats are the fastest cats in the Clans. My warriors should make up a good portion of the patrol." Ashstar declared.

"Alright," Specklestar agreed. "ThunderClan cats are also the best fighters in thick undergrowth. I think my warriors should be a part of the patrol that will be the diversion as well."

"MountainClan cats are swift as well as strong, and every single one of my clanmates has been trained in partner fighting," Snowstar added. "We will be a good force to have in the rescue patrol."

All of the cats glanced at Reedstar, wonder whether the sleek black leader was going to chime in or not.

Reedstar sniffed. "RiverClan cats may not be talented in the areas that your Clans are, and we can't play a particular role in the mission since our strong suite is swimming and water battle. However, we are still strong and powerful fighters. We can join the rescue patrol."

"Good," Snowstar said. "I agree that each of our Clans' talents is fitted to each of the patrols, but I still think we should send at least a few warriors from every Clan on each patrol."

"I suggest that we all pick our strongest and healthiest warriors. The apprentices are too young and inexperienced, and we need to have seasoned warriors on the patrols for this to work. How many cats should be on each patrol?" Specklestar asked.

Reedstar looked thoughtful. "I think there should maybe be twenty or more cats on the diversion patrol. Eight cats can draw the cats of the Dark Fangs out into the territory, and the rest can ambush them once they get to a certain location."

"Good idea, Reedstar," Ashstar meowed grudgingly. "I think the rescue patrol should be smaller, maybe eight to ten cats, so they can move quicker and maybe even go unnoticed in the fray."

"Yeah, I can also talk to Twist about a good location to draw the Dark Fangs cats to and ambush them," Specklestar added. "We have five more days until the end of Strike's deadline. When do you all think we should attack?"

"My cats are pretty weary. How about four more days?" Reedstar suggested.

"No, that's close to the deadline. I think we rescue the apprentices in two days." Ashstar growled.

"I agree. Two more days will give us more time to heal and also to make sure the apprentices are in the clutches of the Dark Fangs for as little time as possible." Specklestar stated.

"Alright, two days it is." Reedstar meowed as he rose, looking ready to leave. "Are we done?"

"Sure, let's meet at the WindClan and ThunderClan border with the unclaimed territory in two days," Ashstar said, getting to her paws as well. The RiverClan and WindClan leaders turned to go.

"Wait!" Snowstar called, leaping to her feet. "While we're all here, I have one thing I need to address."

Reedstar and Ashstar looked back at the ThunderClan leader, baffled. "Snowstar, what is this about?" Specklestar inquired in a low voice, also looking startled. Maplebreeze looked at her leader as well, confused at what Snowstar could want to address the other heads of the other Clans about.

Snowstar waited as the other leaders returned to their places and took a seat once again. "This topic has been at my attention for a while now," Snowstar began slowly. "And after the failed attack on Dark Fangs, I decided it was time to address this."

"For StarClan's sake, get to it already, Snowstar," Ashstar growled.

"I was just about to," The ThunderClan leader said coldly. "I am concerned that you and your Clans are losing sight of the rules of the Warrior Code and what makes us Clans. I have heard of and witnessed many examples. After the medicine cats had been attacked during their trip to the Moonpool, ThunderClan and MountainClan wanted revenge. We sent a patrol to attack a rogue patrol in retaliation. A rogue she-cat was killed in the assault. And during our attack on the Dark Fangs camp, after Strike ordered us to stop fighting and threatened the life of my young apprentice, I watched you all waiver for a while before finally standing down. You all actually considered fighting and endangering Sorrelpaw's life! This has gone too far."

"What?" Shimmerstorm hissed in outrage. "Our Clans have been around far longer than yours. If anything, we know the Warrior Code better than your law-breaking Clan!"

"Yes, and that is why we know the Warrior Code better than any other cats. When our ancestors were banished or sentenced to death and escaped for breaking the code many seasons ago, they created a new Clan with the goal of being a peaceful and an honorable Clan, unlike the harsh, strict rule-enforcer Clans of that time.

"I am concerned that you that you all are too caught up in a game of attack and retaliate with the Dark Fangs." Snowstar continued, staring firmly into the eyes of the other Clan leaders, her clear yellow gaze showing she believed every word she was saying. "The Warrior Code governs our society and holds us accountable for our actions, so we do not stoop to the rogues' level. When that rogue she-cat was killed and you all hesitated and left the life of a young apprentice hanging in the balance, the Warrior Code was broken as well as our honor and integrity as Clans. We do not slink around, bent on revenge. We do not steal or plunder. We don't kill unless it is necessary. We hold ourselves to a higher level. We protect our weaker clanmates, we defend our Clans, and we follow the Warrior Code! If we stray from it, we are no better than the rogues we have been fighting so hard to drive out."

Shocked silence met the gray and white leader's words as the heads of the other Clans stared at her, seeming to be trying to grasp what she had just stated.

"We brought you here to help fight the Dark Fangs, not to question our loyalty to the Warrior Code, nor our integrity as Clans!" Ashstar snarled furiously, breaking the silence.

"Yes, but it is our duty as another Clan to hold the others accountable for their actions," Snowstar replied evenly, looking cool and composed under the intense glares from the other cats. "'Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the four. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall.' That is why I've addressed you all today."

"Don't quote the Warrior Code to us. We know perfectly well what it says!" Reedstar hissed, his fur standing on end.

"Do you?" Maplebreeze shot back, rising to her paws. "It didn't seem that way when you hesitated and almost let Strike kill my daughter!"

"Is her life worth more than the Clan's freedom from the Dark Fangs?" Spiderleap asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes, and so is the life of every Clan cat." Maplebreeze meowed with full certainty.

"Tell that to the at least twenty Clan cats who have been murdered by the Dark Fangs in countless skirmishes." Spiderleap retorted.

"Stop!" Specklestar yowled, interrupting Maplebreeze as she opened her mouth to respond. "That's enough! We aren't going to get anywhere by arguing. I also don't like what Snowstar just said, but there is a measure of truth to it. Maybe we are straying from the honor and integrity that makes us Clans, and we have bent the rules of the Warrior Code to suit our hunger for revenge against the Dark Fangs."

"Yes, I agree," Graystorm spoke up, getting to his paws.

"What, Graystorm?" Ashstar growled.

The longhaired gray tom ignored his leader. "I also think Snowstar's concerns are valid. We have strayed from the ways that make us Clans, and we can't continue like this. We can't lower ourselves to the rogues' level. Then we are no better than them."

"Thank you, Graystorm," Snowstar meowed, nodding to the WindClan deputy. "I hope you all will come to understand what I've said and will try to return to the the honorable ways of the Clans, especially since we are going to rescue our apprentices in two days."

"Fine," Ashstar spat, her fur bristling. "Are we done?"

"Yes, I'm done," Snowstar replied.

Ashstar snorted and turned away, stalking across the clearing and vanished into the thick undergrowth around the edge, Graystorm, and her warriors racing after her. Reedstar moved to go as well, collecting his warriors and headed through the bushes to the tree-bridge.

The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats lingered in the clearing for a few more moments, before Specklestar finally turned to Snowstar. "It was bold, addressing all of the other Clan leaders like that about such an important issue. I think what you said was the truth; I just hope the other Clans realize that."

"I do as well," Snowstar meowed solemnly. "And we all hope that we can bring our apprentices safely home, to where they belong."

 **Hi everyone, here is chapter 29, the second to last chapter! I can't believe it! Please leave a review if you liked it!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


	31. Chapter 30: Rescue

**Chapter 30 - Rescue**

Maplebreeze crouched in the shadows cast by the dim light of dusk against the tangled undergrowth around her, the tips of her belly fur almost brushing the leaf-covered earth, every muscle in her body tense and ready to leap into action. Around her, several MountainClan and RiverClan warriors, join by four ThunderClan and WindClan cats hunched low on the ground as well, hardly daring to breathe as a large patrol of Dark Fangs cats trotted along a well-worn path barely a tree-length in front from them.

The MountainClan deputy held her breath as the ragged gray tabby tom at the rear of the patrol paused for a moment, tasting the air as he turned and gazed directly at the thick bush that concealed her. Maplebreeze stayed frozen in place as the ragged tom stared intently into her hiding place and she was sure that he was going to open his mouth at any moment to alert the other rogues of her presence. However, the gray tabby tom only sniffed slightly and continued along the trail after his fellow rogues.

Maplebreeze let out a soft sigh of relief as the rogue's scent faded. She would have liked nothing more than to spring out of the bushes and rip the gray rogue's throat out, but then the Dark Fangs would have been alerted to the Clan's presence, and all hope of rescuing their apprentices would be lost.

The day that the Clans had agreed they would launch their rescue mission had arrived quickly. MountainClan and ThunderClan cats had spent the last few days healing, hunting, and resting to prepare for the mission. Snowstar and Specklestar questioned Twist some more, gaining the information they needed to rescue the apprentices and also picked out the healthiest and most experienced warriors to participate in the rescue. Maplebreeze had requested to be a part of the rescue patrol, and despite Specklestar's legitimate concerns that it was her daughter that was captured, Snowstar agreed.

The remaining Clan leaders had met at the designated place before dawn with the cats they had chosen to participate in the rescue. Since Maplebreeze was the highest ranking member of the rescue patrol, they other leaders agreed to let her lead it. While none of the Clan leaders were going to participate in the rescue mission, unlike the battle, Spiderleap had decided to take part in the diversion patrol, along with Graystorm.

After a brief conversation between the leaders and deputies of the four remaining Clans, the patrols had headed off, to launch the rescue mission. And now here they were.

As the Dark Fangs patrols' scents faded, Maplebreeze heard the soft crunch of leaves under paws and saw branches wave as the diversion patrol slipped out of hiding places and slunk after the Dark Fangs cats.

"Okay," Maplebreeze whispered, just loud enough for the Clan cats around her to hear. "Be ready to move."

The was a screech of surprise followed by several thumps and the loud sounds of fighting in the distance. Maplebreeze raised her tail, signaling her warriors to be ready. The were several more echoing howls from the Clan cats to ensure that if the rogues inside the camp hadn't already heard them, they would be now. The ploy worked, as a hoard of cats dashed along the path, oblivious as Maplebreeze's patrol sneaked through the undergrowth in the opposite direction, their only focus to get to their fellow Dark Fangs cats' aid.

Maplebreeze's patrol worked their way through the thick forest around the Dark Fangs camp, making their way toward the narrow ravine. The little entrance bordered by bramble bushes came into view between a pair of pine trees. The MountainClan deputy tensed as the sound of pounding of feet against the earth reach her ears and the patrol ducked behind a clump of bramble bushes just in time as another group of Dark Fangs cats charged out of narrow entryway.

Once the pounding of feet had faded into the distance, the Clan patrol continued, padding out from behind the patch of undergrowth and slipping into the narrow entrance. Maplebreeze lingered outside for a moment, scanning the forest before dashing after her patrol through the secure entrance into the Dark Fang's camp.

The golden brown tabby she-cat raced through the long ravine with sheer stone walls to either side of her and exploded into the clearing a couple of seconds behind the other Clan cats in her patrol. Gorsestep and a red and white RiverClan she-cat had tackled two burly cats who had presumably been guarding the inside of the entrance, and the four of them were now wrestling furiously on the dusty earth.

"Help them finish off the Dark Fangs cats, then join us. Remember, only wound them, do not kill." Maplebreeze order with a growl to a black RiverClan tom, jerking her head toward where Gorsestep and the RiverClan she-cat still tussled with the rogues.

The sleek black tom glanced at her, a look of annoyance in his green eyes, but the tom obeyed and leaped to help his Clanmate.

Maplebreeze gathered the rest of the rescue patrol with a long sweep of her fluffy tail and charged across the narrow ravine toward the far end of the Dark Fangs' camp where they had discovered the captured apprentices were being kept.

Suddenly, several muscular cats bounded out of dark depths of caves at the base of the high rock walls and crashed into the rescue patrol, stopping them in their tracks halfway across the camp. Thinking quickly, Maplebreeze leaped forward, bringing her forepaw down hard on a large brown and white tom's muzzle as she dodged a blow from him aimed at her shoulder. The brown and white tom swung his paw again, slicing her above her left eye. Maplebreeze retaliated by rearing up on her hind legs and using all of her force to slam her feet down on the big tom's face. The tom dropped to the ground, stunned, although Maplebreeze knew he wouldn't be for long. The golden brown tabby she-cat leaned down and delivered several ferocious bites to the rogue's neck and ears to finish him off.

"This is for my daughter!" Maplebreeze hissed into the rogue's ear as she scoured her claws down his shoulder. The MountainClan deputy wished she could have the satisfaction of making the rogue feel the pain of everything she had gone through, but then she would be no better than them.

The Clan cats defeated the group of rogues without wasting much time. Gorsestep and the two RiverClan warriors had rejoined them quickly, so they outnumbered the Dark Fangs cats greatly and were able to overpower them. Maplebreeze clawed a thin cream colored she-cat once last time before calling to the warriors of the rescue patrol and sprinting across the remaining distance to the cave where the apprentices were held.

The pair of muscular cats that flanked the entrance to the cave leaped to their paws, ready to prevent the large patrol of Clan cats from entering the cave. Thrushfang, who was just a paw-step ahead of Maplebreeze leaped at the first one while she took the second. Maplebreeze slashed at the huge dusty brown tabby rogue's neck as he slammed his paw down hard on her muzzle. Her vision blurred and her ear stung as the Dark Fangs cat swiped at her again. Maplebreeze swung wildly, trying to make contact.

A fuzzy figure appeared in the corner of her eye, clawing furiously at the strong Dark Fangs cat. "I've got this. Go get your daughter, Maplebreeze." Splashpelt's familiar voice growled.

"Thank you," Maplebreeze breathed as she shook her head to clear it and then raced into the cave. The cold darkness swelled around her as Maplebreeze entered, slowly to a trot a few tail-lengths inside the entrance. She had been so desperate to go to this moment; she hadn't thought about what could happen. Maplebreeze advanced slowly into the dark depths, her paw making quiet thumps on the stone floor. Many of the cats on the rescue patrol were already inside, gathered tightly, so they blocked the back of the cave from Maplebreeze's view. The golden brown tabby she-cat held her breath as she pushed her way through the crowd.

The knot of worry in her chest eased slightly as the Clan cats moved aside to reveal Dustpaw, the ThunderClan apprentice who was taken captive. The young gray and white apprentice had a couple of scratches but looked relieved to be back among his Clanmates. Thornpaw of WindClan crouched nearby, his bloodstained fur ruffled, and Mintpaw, the RiverClan apprentice, leaned against the sleek black RiverClan tom, her right foreleg covered with dried blood and missing clumps of hair.

 _Thank StarClan, they're safe. But where is Sorrelpaw? Could something have happened to her? What if she isn't alright?_ Maplebreeze thought, gazing frantically into the shadows at the back of the den. Something in the darkness shifted and then moved forward, forming the shape of a small cat. "Sorrelpaw?" The MountainClan deputy whispered.

"Maplebreeze?" Sorrelpaw asked uncertainly, padding out of the shadows towards the Clan cats. The light that seeped through the small entrance revealed ugly claw marks along the tortoiseshell and white she-cat's flanks along with a scratch above her eye. Her fur was unkempt, and a look of fear resided in her green eyes, but otherwise the MountainClan apprentice was unharmed.

"Oh, thank StarClan!" Maplebreeze cried, rushing forward to her daughter's side. Sorrelpaw ducked her head as Maplebreeze covered the MountainClan apprentice's ears with licks but then leaned into her mother's chest fur, letting out a sigh of relief. "I was so worried about you. I don't know what I will do if I lose you again." Maplebreeze murmured, resting her chin on top of her daughter's head. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Sorrelpaw replied softly. "I have some wounds, but they aren't deep. I'll be fine."

"Did they hurt you?" Maplebreeze asked anxiously, moving her head so she could gaze down at her daughter.

"No," Sorrelpaw assured her. "They kept the other apprentices and me in the den the whole time and only let us out to make dirt, but they didn't hurt us. The wounds we have are from the battle."

"Good. I missed you so much." Maplebreeze meowed, licking Sorrelpaw's soft head again.

"Uh, Maplebreeze?" The golden brown tabby she-cat turned her head to see Cherrycloud standing awkwardly nearby. "We should get going."

"Oh, of course." Maplebreeze gave her daughter another lick over her head and stood, preparing to leave. The golden brown tabby she-cat swiftly organized the Clan cats into a dense patrol, the strongest warriors on the outside to shelter the wounded apprentices. When they were ready, the rescue patrol hurried out into the camp.

Maplebreeze bounded out of the den and stopped short as she came face to face with a solid line of snarling rogues. A mass of Dark Fangs cats stood in front of them, their pelts bristling and teeth bared as they blocked the Clan cats' way. Maplebreeze's eyes widened, and she glanced wildly around, spotting the narrow entrance to the camp over the heads of the rogues in front of her. They were trapped.

At an unspoken command, the Dark Fangs suddenly cats leaped at the surprised rescue patrol. It took the Clan cats a moment to recover, but by then, the Dark Fangs cats had already broken through their ranks, cutting the Clan cats off from one another.

With a ferocious roar, Maplebreeze jumped into battle, clawing with all of her might at the first rogue she saw, a ginger and white tabby tom with a scarred muzzle. The golden brown tabby she-cat fought like all of LionClan, dodging a blow from the ginger and white rogue as she slipped to one side and raked her claws down his left foreleg. Her determination to win and her love for her daughter drove her to fight fiercely as she never had before. She had just got Sorrelpaw back, and she wasn't about to lose her again!

The ginger and white tabby tom snarled in frustration as Maplebreeze nimbly avoided his large paws once more and landed a blow, adding another cut on his muzzle. The tom swung dangerously and this time managed to claw her above her left eye, reopening a wound she had received earlier. Blood dripped down into Maplebreeze's amber eye, partially blinding her for a moment. She hissed in annoyance as she tossed her head, flicking the drops out of her eyes. Time seemed to slow down as the MountainClan deputy regained her full vision and saw the rogue's ginger paw flying at her through the air, ready to strike her again. Maplebreeze twisted quickly and with a grunt, lashing out with her hind legs. Her back legs made contact, and the tom reeled with the force of her blow, vanishing into the fray of fighting cats.

Maplebreeze paused for a moment, her chest heaving with the effort, but the satisfaction made it all worth it. Now that the excitement from the spar had worn off a little, she felt drained and tired. Dirt and grime coated her fur, and a few leaves and a twig stuck to her pelt. Blood dripped from wounds above her eye, on her muzzle, and along one of her sides, forming a tiny puddle on the ground.

Looking up, Maplebreeze surveyed the wild fight around her. It was impossible to tell which side was winning as the Clan cats and the rogues were locked in fierce battle, clawing and biting at one another as they wrestled in deadly combat on the dusty earth. Thrushfang snarled as he took blow after blow from a pair of black and white cats near the steep stone walls. Splashpelt and the red and white RiverClan she-cat fought side by side to drive back a trio of Dark Fangs cats. The sleek black RiverClan tom defended Mintpaw from a large gray tom while Cherrycloud tussled with a lean tortoiseshell rogue nearby.

Maplebreeze yelped as a pair of teeth suddenly closed around her tail. The golden brown tabby she-cat whipped around to see an eerily familiar black and brown tabby tom clinging to her tail, malice gleaming in the green eye that was turned to her. Maplebreeze growled as she swung her paw and slapped the black and brown tom's muzzle. Taking advantage of the startled look in the rogue's eye, she pulled her tail free, wincing as his claws tore several clumps of fur out. The MountainClan deputy bunched her muscles, preparing to attack, but what the tom did next stopped her.

"Hello, Maplebreeze," The black and brown tom meowed calmly despite the vicious brawl around them as he stood up, finally turning his face to look straight at her. "We meet again. I see you've attempted to rescue your apprentices. Surely you can now see that I've kept my word."

"Strike." Maplebreeze spat through barred teeth. "We _are_ rescuing our apprentices. And your word is worth no more than a fox's because you're a kit-killing, prey-stealing foxheart."

"I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me." Strike smirked.

"Enough," The MountainClan deputy growled, her tail lashing. "Why aren't we fighting?"

"If you want to, we shall," Strike responded with a shrug.

Maplebreeze tensed her muscles, ready to spring into action. Strike's seemingly careless and conceded words had provoked her and she wanted to sink her claws into the black and brown tom's fur. With a roar, she sprang, her paws outstretched to grab her enemy's throat.

At the last minute, Strike dodged, and Maplebreeze skidded to a stop a tail-length from where he had been, her paws holding nothing but a few tufts of grass. A heavy weight crashed down on her, forcing her to the ground. A solid leg held her back in place while another pinned the back of her head. "Guess that's a yes." Strike said coldly.

Maplebreeze struggled, but with her legs pinned underneath her, she couldn't do much and was left in a very helpless position. The golden brown tabby she-cat relaxed, hoping the leader of the Dark Fangs would fall for her trick and loosen his grip. After a moment, she felt the pressure relax slightly, and Maplebreeze rolled quickly on her side and slammed her back paws into Strike's belly, pushing him off of her. Unfortunately, the rogue was much heavier than her last opponent, and he didn't do much than fall over, startled.

In an instant, Maplebreeze was back on her paws, but so was Strike. The cats clashed, exchanging blow for blow in a whirlwind of claws, teeth, and fur. They were locked in a deadly dance, one that would undoubtedly last a while. For every scratch Maplebreeze gave the head of the Dark Fangs, he returned another. They were evenly matched, so it would be a long and trying fight before a winner would be determined.

As Maplebreeze avoided another blow, she realized that her original perception of the black and brown tabby tom had been wrong. At first, she had thought he was lazy and selfish, but cunning and shifty. Now, she realized it wasn't just his skill with words that had made him the leader of the rogues. He was also a talented fighter, obviously experienced and battle-hardened. But that still left her with one burning question; why was he doing this? What made him hate the Clans so that he wanted to wipe them all out?

"Why are you doing this?" Maplebreeze cried as she raked her claws down her enemy's right flank. "Why do you want to drive us all out?"

Strike laughed, a short scoff as he tore at her right ear. "What am I doing this, you ask? Why do you think that I need a reason?"

"But you can't just have begun to hate the Clans one day! You have to have a reason to hurt us all like this." Maplebreeze insisted, springing forward as she reached for her opponent's neck.

"If you really want to know," Strike growled, slipping out of the way. "I used to be a member of ShadowClan. I left it as a young apprentice."

"What?" Maplebreeze asked as she landed and spun around, gaping at the black and brown tom. "Why'd you leave? How is that a reason to attack us?"

Just then, a desperate cry split the air and Maplebreeze glanced behind her to see Slatefoot of WindClan pinned helplessly under several snarling rogues. The gray tom let loose another shrill yowl for help as one of them sunk their claws into the flesh on his right foreleg. Maplebreeze glanced around her, but every other Clan cat was locked in battle, too busy fighting their own opponents to aid the WindClan warrior.

"You should help him," Strike commented dryly. "Or you can keep fighting me to find out the truth and let him be killed."

Maplebreeze glanced between Slatefoot and Strike, unsure what to so. Then she turned and dashed across the camp to aid her fellow Clan cat, leaving Strike and all of her unanswered questions standing in the midst of the fierce skirmish.

The golden brown tabby she-cat leaped at the nearest rogue to her, digging her claws into his flesh and hauling him off of Slatefoot. The tom yowled in surprise and pain as she sent him tumbling to the dusty ground. Maplebreeze swiped at the next rogue's ears and ducked as the slim sandy brown tabby she-cat swung at her head. A sharp pain in her back leg told her that the first rogue had recovered and attacked her again. The MountainClan deputy spun around, slamming her paw into the enemy tom's neck and raking her claws down it. Her muzzle stung as the black tom brought his foot down on it. Maplebreeze returned a blow to the side of the tom's head. The Dark Fangs cat staggered as blood poured down from the jagged wound on his neck, soaking his sleek black fur.

A weight suddenly landed on Maplebreeze's back. The sandy brown tabby she-cat had returned. The MountainClan deputy paused to regain her balance before trying to shake the rogue she-cat off, but the rogue clung to her back, claws from all four feet digging painfully into her flesh. Maplebreeze wobbled, unable to hold up the heavy weight of the she-cat.

As suddenly as it had landed on her, the Dark Fangs cat was gone. Maplebreeze whipped around to see Slatefoot, looking battered and tired but alive, scratching the she-cat's flanks with one paw as he held her on the ground with the other. The sandy brown she-cat howled with pain, and after a moment, Slatefoot let her up, and she limped off, disappearing into the fray.

"Thanks," The MountainClan deputy grunted wincing with pain from her numerous wounds. Slatefoot nodded in reply and hurried back into the battle.

Maplebreeze raised her head, taking in the bloody brawl around her. The Clan cats and the rogues were still fighting viciously, but the cats of the Clans seemed to be slowly tiring, and Maplebreeze knew it wouldn't be long before they were too exhausted to keep fighting. The rescue mission had taken much longer than anticipated and the formerly sunny heavens had darkened, becoming overcast. The Dark Fangs cats had not recaptured any of the apprentices, but they would soon if the fight continued like this. The cats of the rescue patrol wouldn't last much longer.

"Clan cats!" Maplebreeze cried, raising her voice over the noise of the fight. "To me! Retreat!" With that, the golden brown tabby she-cat turned and sprinted toward the entrance, her fluffy tail streaming behind her. Maplebreeze shoved by a pair of young rogues and reaching the entry, looked behind her. She was relieved to see her clanmates and the other Clan cats battling their way toward her, keeping the four young apprentices close by their sides.

Once most of the Clan cats made it safely to the entrance, the golden brown tabby she-cat led the way out into the forest, leaving a trail of wounded and dead rogues in their wake.

Maplebreeze ran through the woods, her paws thrumming the ground as she leaped over fallen logs and dodged low-growing branches, glancing behind her now and then to make sure the rest of the rescue patrol was still with her. They sped through the woods, heading as quickly as possible for Clan territory. They had left the cats of the Dark Fangs scattered and wounded back in their camp, but they had obviously recovered as now they were hot on the Clan cats' trail.

The MountainClan deputy glanced behind her again, her amber eyes widening to see the rogues weaving through the trees not far behind them and drawing closer by the second. _No, we can't let them catch us! We are too injured, and if we stop and fight, we will lose for sure. We have to go faster. We have to get back to Clan territory._ "Faster!" She panted to the other members of the rescue patrol, hoping they could hear her. The Clan cats put on an extra burst of speed, but it was hard to run swiftly in the thick forest, and the rogues continued gaining ground.

Maplebreeze tensed as a shadow raced through the trees just on the edge of her vision. More shadows joined it, taking the forms of running cats. _Oh, no. If those are rogues, we're finished for sure._

The first shadow, followed by the others raced through the trees towards them and emerged into a patch of sunlight, revealing a black and white tom at the head of the group. Maplebreeze sighed in relief as she recognized Spiderleap and some of the warriors from the diversion patrol.

The second patrol of Clan cats swerved around the rescue patrol, intercepting the rogues just as they were about to reach them. The two quick-moving groups slammed into each other, and a chaotic battle with flying fur and dust ensued immediately. Before the groups crashed into each other, Spiderleap broke away from his patrol, bounding over to where the rescue patrol had stopped a tree-length away.

"Are you all okay? Do you have the apprentices?" Spiderleap asked anxiously, skidding to a stop in front of them.

"Yes, they're with us and only have minor injuries," Maplebreeze reported between ragged breaths. "Thank you, Spiderleap. If you and your patrol hadn't just arrived, we would have all been captured or killed."

"You're welcome," Spiderleap meowed gruffly. "Now go, get back to safety. We'll handle this."

Maplebreeze nodded briefly before turning and dashing off into the forest, leading the way from the rogue's territory to the Clan's home, from danger to safety.

. . .

Maplebreeze whipped through the trees, her paws rhythmically pounding the ground. The thick bramble bushes woven together to create the small entrance to ThunderClan's camp was in sight now. Her heart lifted. They were so close. After a long and trialing day, they had almost reached the ThunderClan camp, which meant they had succeeded in rescuing the apprentices and she could finally rest and cease all of the heaving worries for her daughter.

After fleeing the rogues, the rescue patrol had run until they reached Clan territory again. At the border to ThunderClan, the Clan cats stopped to rest for a few moments and decide what to do next. All of the warriors on the rescue patrol had agreed to go back to the ThunderClan's camp because it was closest and a lot of them needed a medicine cat to check their wounds immediately.

Maplebreeze raced the last few tail-lengths to the entrance and barely bothered to slow as she slipped past the twisted tendrils and exploded into the camp. She finally slowed, coming to a stop near the center of the hollow. Maplebreeze's head and tail drooped, and her body was weary with exhaustion and from the numerous wounds, but her heart soared. They had done it! Sorrelpaw and the other apprentices were safe and back where they belonged with their Clans.

"Maplebreeze?" The golden brown tabby she-cat raised her head slightly to see a ginger and brown tabby tom shouldering his way through the crowd of ThunderClan and MountainClan cats that had gathered around the rescue patrol.

"Brackenstep!" Maplebreeze called, her limbs finally giving way as she collapsed on the dusty earth. In an instant, her mate was by her side, pressing his warm body reassuringly against her's and covering her face with tender licks. "We did it," Maplebreeze murmured, half to herself and half to Brackenstep. "Sorrelpaw and the other apprentices are home."

"I know. I know." Brackenstep murmured, helping the golden brown tabby she-cat sit up. Soft fur brushed the MountainClan deputy's flank, and she saw that Sorrelpaw had joined them, leaning against her parents. On her other side, Emberpaw and Lakepaw had joined them, curled together against Maplebreeze and Brackenstep. Her family was here, together, at last.

Maplebreeze raised her head to the overcast sky, breathing a sigh of relief as she felt the heavy weight that had been there since Sorrelpaw was taken captive lift. They had done it. She should feel more relieved than this, but one question remained, nagging her from the back of her mind. If Strike was from ShadowClan, why did he leave? What made him hate them so much that he was going to all those lengths to hurt and drive out the Clans?

Maplebreeze lowered her head, touching her nose lovingly to each of the kits' foreheads in turn before leaning against Brackenstep once more, their heads bowed and foreheads touching. They remained that way for a while, content to be with each other, reunited at long last. Above them, the dark clouds finally broke, and rain began to fall, first in small drips than a full on downpour. It was as if StarClan's tears were falling, soaking the lush forestland around them and Maplebreeze's family, huddled together in the center of the ThunderClan camp.

 **Wow, I'm feeling very sentimental right now. I have been working on this story for just over a year now, and I am very proud if it. This is the last chapter, so I hope you liked it! If you liked my story, please review! There won't be an epilog so this is it. I can't believe it's finally done!**

 **I will be very busy for the next few weeks, but the next book should be coming around the middle to end of April. Stay tuned for Gathering Shadows. (That is the working title, it might change as I start to write it.) If you want a hint of what it will be about, I will tell you that RiverClan plays a larger part in it. Also, it is Greenleaf now, so do you remember what is mentioned in a lot of the books around this time of year?**

 **So it is with great pride that I am signing off for the last time in this book. See you in Gathering Shadows! I will only say two more words; The End.**

 **\- Maplebreeze of MountainClan**


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